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FLORIDA, 
THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT 



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Pahnettoes. 

{Sec page 290) 



FLORIDA 

THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT 



Including an Account of its Romantic History from 
the Days of Ponce de Leon and the Other Early 
Explorers and Settlers, and the Story of its Native 
Indians; A Survey of its Climate, Lakes and Rivers 
and a Description of its Scenic Wonders and 
Abundant Animal and Bird Life ; And a Comprehen- 
sive Review of the Florida of To-day, as a State 
Important for its Industries, Agriculture and Edu- 
cational Advantages as well as the Unsurpassed and 
Justly Celebrated Winter Resort of America, with 
Unparalleled Attractions for Health and Pleasure 
Seekers, Nature Lovers, Motorists and Sportsmen. 



BY 
NEVIN OV WINTER 

Author of 

'Texas The MarveUous," " The Russian Empire of To-day 

and Yesterday," "Mexico and Her People 

of To-day," etc. 



With a map and fifty-six plates, 
of which eight are in color 




THE PAGE COMPANY 
BOSTON 9 MDCCCCXVIII 



W72 



Copyright, 1918, 
By The Page Company 



All righu reserved 



First Impression, January, 1918 



fR-2l9l8 



)CI,A492143 



PREFACE 



Florida has, indeed, been a land of enchantment. It 
first lured the red man from the more inhospitable North 
and he was followed by the white man. Latin contended 
with Latin for its mastery, and, in turn, with the Anglo- 
Saxon and Anglo-American. Its seductive shores have 
drawn to it the flags of three foreign nations, and, for a 
few years, the Stars and Bars of the Confederacy waved 
in the ocean breezes that sweep across the state between 
gulf and ocean. For a long time prior to its purchase 
the United States looked upon this peninsula with covet- 
ous eyes. To-day this most tropical of the States, by 
reason of its charming scenery and health-giving breezes, 
its bright sunshiny days in the midwinter season, its land 
sports and deep-sea fishing, attracts thousands of visitors 
from all parts of the United States each year. 

The history of Florida is steeped in romance. It was 
not the lust for gold that led the first Spaniard to the 
wave-lapped beach of Florida, as it did to other parts of 
the New World, but it was the yearning for perpetual 
youth. The natives of the Bahamas related to the Span- 
iards tales of the wonderful land of Bimini where there 
was the fountain of eternal youth, at the touch of whose 
waters age fell away forever. These tales reached the 
ears of Ponce de Leon, at one time a companion of Co- 
lumbus. Hence it was that, in 15 12, he set out " to pro- 
ceed to discover and settle Bimini," and after many 
months sighted the land which proved to be Florida — 
the Land of Flowers. 



Preface 



The story of the discovery of Florida is as fascinating 
as any story penned by the hand of the romancer. The 
annals of its conquest by De Soto and De Narvaez are 
filled with the deepest tragedy. Scarcely less interesting, 
and no less tragic, are the tales of the unfortunate Hu- 
guenot colony established here by a French leader. In 
the eighteenth century Cuba was exchanged by England 
for Florida, and civil government was administered here 
for a time from London. The capture of Pensacola by 
General Jackson, during the War of 1812, furnishes a 
dramatic incident of that struggle. A band of Creeks, 
driven into exile by others of the same tribe, fled to Flor- 
ida where the swamps and morasses of that land offered 
shelter, and there became known as the Seminoles, whose 
resistance to the authority of the United States furnished 
the costly incident in our history known as the Seminole 
War. 

The modem development of Florida from a neglected 
land to the prosperous and progressive State of to-day is 
in itself a captivating story. Thriving cities and resorts 
now exist where there was naught but sandy w^ste or 
tropical jungle a few years ago. Citrus orchards have 
replaced the tangled growth of the palmettoes and the 
pines. Agricultural development and the establishment 
of industries in the towns are bringing a rapid increase 
in the permanent population of the commonwealth. To- 
day we find that the Everglades, which have furnished 
the theme of so many fascinating tales, and which pro- 
vided a secure retreat for the pirates of the Caribbean 
Sea in the heyday of their prosperity, are being reclaimed, 
and, in the near future, may disappear and be succeeded 
by fertile but prosaic farms. Only a scratching of the 
surface in the development of the latent resources of 
this peninsula has as yet been made. But the real Flor- 



Preface vii 



ida, with her charming lakes and seductive rivers with 
poetic names, with her splendid coast and health-impart- 
ing breezes, with her tropical climate and tropical fruits, 
with her oceans and game fishes — a State where the sun 
shines brightly when our Northern States are encrusted 
with snow and chilled by the breezes of old Boreas — 
still remains to lure the globe-trotter, the health and rest 
seeker, the investor, and the sportsman. None of its 
charm has been lost, while the changes have only made 
travel throughout the State easier and pleasanter, and 
comfortable and luxurious accommodations can be se- 
cured in every one of the principal resorts. 

Nevin O. Winter. 
Toledo, Ohio. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER PAGE 

Preface vii 

I The Land and the People i 

II The Romance of the Discovery 17 

III The Story of the Conquest 31 

IV The Tragedy of the Huguenots 51 

V Under Four Flags 68 

VI The Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man ioi 

VII The Seminoles of Today 129 

VIII Across Northern Florida i44 

IX The Ancient City 169 

X The St. John's and Ocklawaha Rivers . . 188 

XI The Central Lake District 206 

XII The American Riviera 221 

XIII Palm Beach 242 

XIV The Indian River 251 

XV Along the West Coast 268 

XVI The Everglades 288 

XVII The Keys 315 

XVIII Fish and Fishing 334 

XIX The Marvelous Bird Life 355 

Appendix I 369 

Bibliography 373 

Index 375 



LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS 



(See page 2qo) 



PAGB 

Frontispiece 

I 



Palmettoes (In full color) 

MAP OF FLORIDA .... 

A Street Scene, Tallahassee 

A Little Group of Future Citizens 

Birds Rising from a Florida Rookery . 

One of the Fine New Roads in Florida 

Juan Ponce de Leon at the Fountain of Youth 

De Soto in the Florida Wilderness 

Sir Francis Drake 

The City Gates, St. Augustine 

The State House, Tallahassee 

Osceola .... 

Fort Marion (In full color) . 

An Old Seminole Indian . 

A Seminole Indian Woman . 

A Seminole Hut and Indian Youths 

Bird's-eye view of Fort San Carlos and Fort Bar 

RANCAS . 

In Old Fort Pickens . 

A Home in Tallahassee 

" Going to Town " 

" Way down upon the Suwanee River " 

A View of Jacksonville from the St. John's 

Old St. Augustine (In full color) . 

A Narrow Street in St. Augustine 

The St. John's River .... 

A Youthful Fisherman, his Catch and his 
Weapon ....... 

A Cypress Swamp Along the Ocklawaha River 



River 



4/ 
6^ 

II i^ 

15^ 
20 

42^ 

80 v-^ 

99' 
109 "^ 
120 
130 ' 

137^'" 

145 1 
151 ' 

158 -^ 
164/ 
166 ^'^ 
170 / 
178^'^ 
189 

195 
iq8 



xii List of Illustrations 

PAGE 

Orlando, looking across Lake Lucerne . . 209 
A View IN Winter Park . . . . .211 

On Lake Tohopekaliga ..... 214 

A Phosphate Plant, near Lakeland . . .217 
The Seven Mile Bridge (In full color) . . .221 

On the Famous Ormond-Daytona Beach . . 227 

BiscAYNE Bay, Miami ...... 239 

Cape Florida Light House, Miami (In full color) . 241 

At Palm Beach 247 

Pelicans ........ 260 

A Turpentine Grove ...... 263 

A Tropical Florida River ..... 268 

The City Hall, Tampa 272 

A Street Scene, St Petersburg .... 275 

An Orange Grove (In full color) .... 278 

A View at Fort Myers ..... 281 

Along the Caloosahatchee River . . . 284 

Water Hyacinths ...... 289 

Florida Cattle 294 

Lake Okeechobee ...... 296 

A Dredge in the Everglades .... 308 

A Florida Alligator (In full color) . . .310 

A Cocoanut Palm ...... 322 

Entrance to Naval Station, Key West (In full 

color) ........ 326 

A Big Turtle Ready for Market .... 328 

Hauling Sponges, at Key West .... 332 

Two Monsters of the Deep Caught in Florida 

Waters 33^ 

The Author with a Fifty-eight Pound Trophy 347 

Water Turkeys ....... 358 

Baby Egrets . • 365 



J3p|0L|3De|ci 

4no-p|oj 



^ ^ 




FLORIDA: THE 
LAND OF ENCHANTMENT 



CHAPTER I 

THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE 

Going to Florida! Why? It is needless to ask you. 
The time is anywhere from December to February. 
The weather is raw and cold. The woodlands are wholly 
leafless, while the fields are either sere and brown or 
covered with a blanket of snow. This explains the 
preparations for departure. You know that in a day 
or two's journey to the south there are green foliage and 
bright flowers, while the air is permeated with a genial 
warmth. After a period of one sleep or two sleeps, as 
the aborigine would express it, you will awaken some 
morning under azure skies with a summer sun beat- 
ing down upon the roof of your Pullman. How 
delightful it seems to be away from the Frost King. 
Now you can wear your summer clothes once more, 
and can indulge in your favorite dip out in the briny 
ocean. 

Florida, it was named — the land of flowers. There 
are many flowers in the peninsula, but you must look up 
as well as down, for there are almost as many flower- 
ing trees as flowering plants. You may be disappointed, 
for they are not such a spontaneous product of the soil 



2 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

as you might expect. In places the soil is so indifferent 
in quality that they must be nursed and coaxed along. 
The aspect of the country may seem rather monotonous, 
for it appears like an unending sandy and level plain 
overspread with pine woods underneath which is an 
undergrowth of palmetto scrub. But there is an abun- 
dance of sunlight and balmy air and seductive reaches of 
water awaiting you there. 

Florida has ever been a land of romance. One reason 
for this has been the lack of accurate knowledge con- 
cerning the country. It is interesting to trace through 
the varying charts of decades and centuries ago the 
gradual evolution of the map we have today. The coast 
has changed in outline from time to time, thus proving 
that the work of the early cartographers was largely 
guesswork. A map of the World published in Italy, 
early in the sixteenth century, and known as Leonardo 
da Vinci's Mappamonde, shows Florida as a large island 
in a vast ocean that swells on to Japan. Succeeding 
map-makers copied some of the errors of earlier ones. 
One map of the year 1760, which was made in France, 
represents Florida as a wedge-shaped country dotted 
with mountain peaks here and there. These mountains 
extend almost to the southern extremity. Our own sur- 
veys of the coast region could not be depended upon 
until within the last quarter of a century, and especially 
was this true of the region known as the Ten Thousand 
Islands. 

The same ignorance existed with regard to the Ever- 
glades, which still remain to some extent a land of 
mystery. The Great American Desert, once so feared, 
the wild solitudes of the Rockies and the snowy wastes of 
the Yukon yielded up their innermost secrets before ac- 
curate knowledge of the Everglades was extended to the 



The Land and the People 



world. Its mystery has been a part of our national in- 
heritance. The earliest geographies mentioned this 
great water-wilderness. It has its distinct place among 
our nation's other national wonders, such as Niagara 
Falls, the Mammoth Cave, the Yosemite and the Yellow- 
stone, and even the wonderful Grand Canyon. There 
will be a feeling of regret with us all if they should 
finally disappear entirely through the reclamation project. 
It was not until 1883 that an organized expedition was 
conducted across the Everglades. Since then there have 
been several expeditions, and each one has added to our 
geographical knowledge of this peculiar region. And yet 
it is quite possible that there are still sections several 
square miles in area, which have not been profaned by 
the foot of the white man. On some of the maps, made 
comparatively recently, one will find portrayed splendid 
rivers fifty or sixty miles long. This we know to be un- 
true, as there are no real rivers traversing the Everglades, 
except near the coast, but there are water courses here 
and there, which hardly deserve the designation of a 
stream. West of the Everglades is an almost tractless 
labyrinth of swamp, fresh-water lagoons and creeks, 
interspersed with fertile islands, which is known as Big 
Cypress Swamp. This, likewise, is a land of mystery 
about which unbelievable tales are told. 

One of the real charms of Florida is in its nomencla- 
ture. They have departed from Old World names and, 
instead of a New York and a New London, etc., we have 
the musical designations of the aborigines. One of these 
names has been on everybody's tongue at one time or 
another, for there are few indeed who have not sung that 
plaintive melody beginning " Way Down Upon de 
Swanee Ribber." If you should hear the name Kis- 
simmee pronounced in the natural way by a pretty miss, 



4 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

be she six or sixteen, it would be hard to resist the ex- 
pressed invitation. But the charm is somewhat dis- 
pelled by the Florida pronunciation, which is Kis-sim- 
mee, with a strong accent on the second syllable. The 
Chattahoochee, Withlacooche, Choctawhatchee, Econ- 
lockhatchee, Caloosahatchee, Onoshahatchee, Homo- 
sassa, Ocklokonee, Chipola, and Ocklawaha are some of 
the other seductive and musical names of streams, and 
their appearance, lined as the banks are with the moss- 
laden trunks and branches of trees which sometimes 
intertwine, is fully as charming as the name would indi- 
cate. Of lakes, the best known is the famous Okeecho- 
bee, in the heart of the Everglades. But Weahyakapka, 
Thonotosassa, Hatchineha, Istokpoga, Apopka, Miccasu- 
kee, lamonia, Tohopekaliga, Hicpochee and Panasoffkee, 
also designate little inland bodies of water. In the 
names of towns it is true that we have a St. Petersburg, 
a New Smyrna, and a Jacksonville, but we also have 
a Tallahassee, a Homosassa, a Pensacola, a Wauchula, a 
Thonotosassa, a Lacoochee, an Okahumpka, etc. etc. 
These are many of the real delights of Florida. It is not 
too late for many of our northern cities to rechristen 
themselves and preserve the musical names of the In- 
dians. It would also add an individuality not possessed 
by a name reminiscent of the Old World. 

Florida is a land of lakes. Little bodies of water are 
scattered all over the commonwealth from one boundary 
to another. They are not confined to the better known 
lake district, down in the central portion of the state, 
but they are numerous in the northern section and also 
down in the Everglade region. It has been estimated 
that there are at least thirty thousand of them. These 
vary in size from Lake Okeechobee to the picturesque 
little lakelet with less than a hundred square feet of sur- 



The Land and the People 5 

face. None of them are stagnant, but all are filled with 
waters fresh, clear and wholesome, even though there 
is no visible outlet. They constitute one of the distinc- 
tive charms of Florida. It is a pleasure to come upon a 
lake, or lakes, in a most unexpected region. Sometimes 
there is a slight background of hills to heighten the per- 
spective. There is frequently a fringe of forest sur- 
rounding the shores. The blue of the sky is reflected 
in the water, until its depths seem of azure. Bereft 
of her lakes, Florida would indeed lose much of her 
attraction for the visitor in search of beauty and pleas- 
ure. 

Many people who go to Florida are disappointed with 
the landscape. They are surprised to find what they 
term unending monotony and so much unproductive soil. 
And yet Florida itself is a mountain, for it was once 
sea bottom in the geology of things. It was probably 
pushed upward by a fold in the earth's strata by the 
same giant force that raised the Appalachian mountain 
range. By the time it reached here its force was nearly 
spent, and it barely succeeded in getting the state above 
sea level. The fact is that the Florida soil varies greatly. 
One stretch may be absolutely useless, while another im- 
mediately adjoining it may be teeming with fertility. 
Why a " hard-pan " may be beneath a one-hundred 
acre lot and the adjoining soil is of rich red clay or 
even black loam, it is im.possible to explain. It has been 
said that Florida was built out of the left-overs from 
the rest of the United States, which were dumped here 
in a heterogeneous fashion. We only know that next to 
one acre teeming with fertility there is frequently an- 
other acre which it would be as useless to cultivate as it 
was for Ulysses to plough the seashore. This is the 
reason why the prospective land buyers had better make 



6 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

a personal investigation of their contemplated investment 
before paying over their hard-earned cash, 

Florida is not a small state, for it is the largest com- 
monwealth east of the Mississippi. It has an area larger 
than that of combined New England. At its most 
southern point it is six hundred miles nearer the equator 
than Los Angeles, and it is three hundred miles farther 
south than New Orleans. It extends a whole degree to- 
ward the tropics beyond the latitude of Brownsville, 
Texas, the next most southern bit of the United States. 
It is entirely lacking in mountains, for its greatest eleva- 
tion does not exceed three hundred feet, being less than 
any other state except Louisiana. The northern portion 
of the state is a rolling country of red clay and fertile 
valley, which is heavily forested. The central portion 
also has hills, but they are of sand instead of clay. Pine- 
lands cover at least half the state and these are inter- 
spersed with " hammocks," upon which grows a more 
luxuriant forest growth. Then come the Everglades and 
Big Cypress Swamp, and the tail is made of a long ex- 
tended line of coral sea islands. These keys begin near 
Miami, and extend south and west for two hundred miles 
through the warm waters of the Gulf Stream which gives 
them the climate of Cuba. 

The population of Florida is quite varied. From the 
fine old families of Spanish descent, intermingled with 
English and French blood, whose estates date back to 
its earliest history, you will find color ranges from pale 
white to deepest black of the true African. 

The Florida "Cracker" is an interesting subject; the 
name was formerly applied only to the drivers of oxen. 
The man who drives these faithful brutes carries a whip- 
stock as tall as himself. On the end is a lash twice as 
long — long enough to reach to the farthest ox of a four- 



The Land and the People 



yoke team. On the end is a snapper, which makes a 
noise almost as loud as a pistol shot when snapped 
skilfully. Hence the name of " Cracker " became at- 
tached to the driver. The " Cracker " is now found only 
in the backwoods, where he satisfies himself with grow- 
ing a little cotton and a few vegetables, and only " comes 
to town " to trade when he has to. 

One of the truly marvellous features of Florida lies 
in the number of wonderful springs. The flow from 
some of these springs forms a generous stream, and it 
seems strange to see a stream start off which has as its 
source only a spring or several springs that flow into a 
common pool. In some of them the waters are so 
pellucid that a boat seems suspended in midair. The 
shadows from the skies above rest in changing beauty 
in their depths, while the bright sunlight flecks the silvery 
rocks below with rays of dazzling brightness; an azure 
tinge encircles every object, and envelops it with a halo 
of purplish light. It is probably no wonder that fabulous 
tales were spread about these springs which, after many 
repetitions, may have led to stories of a Bimini, which 
lured Ponce de Leon to his discoveries. Many of these 
springs are strongly impregnated with sulphur, and a 
number are utilized for medical baths. While of the 
same general character, the springs of Florida each have 
an individuality of their own, and each spring possesses 
its own charm as well. The location, the surroundings 
and the peculiar climatic condition have their own effect. 

One of the most beautiful of the Florida springs is the 
Wakulla Springs, not very far from Tallahassee. The 
pool is over one hundred feet deep and of a crystalline 
transparency. It is situated in the midst of a delightful 
forest growth of oaks and magnolias, which are twisted 
around and about with the vines of the jasmine and 



8 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

twining trumpet. Not far from Tampa are the Sulphur 
Springs, which are said to have a flow of fifty thousand 
gallons each and every minute. The Tarpon Springs are 
near the town of that name, and they are supposed to be 
the outlet of Lake Butler. The waters bubble up from a 
seemingly bottomless hole, in which soundings have 
reached a distance of two hundred feet. The water ebbs 
and flows with the rise and fall of the Gulf tide. Blue 
Springs, along the St. John's River, is also one of the 
marvellous springs. The water is decidedly blue and the 
aquatic life, such as the fish and the plants, is colored by 
this hue. With such force does the water come up that 
the level in the center is almost a foot higher than around 
the edges. The hydraulic pressure is so great upward 
and laterally here that it is impossible to put or keep 
a boat on this summit. The basin is seventy feet across 
and about forty feet deep. A broad stream almost ten 
feet deep flows out from this spring with a current of 
about five miles an hour. It contains much sulphur in 
solution. Green Cove Spring is also near the St. John's. 
From a depth of forty feet the waters reach up to the 
surface. The spring has been recognized as curative 
from the earliest days of Spanish settlement, and bath 
houses have existed here for several centuries. 

There are a number of springs in Florida which are 
claimed to be real springs searched for by Ponce de 
Leon. The great wonder is that the Adelantado himself 
could not find the Fountain of Youth when it is so omni- 
present today. One is a small spring just outside of St. 
Augustine, where a great many things are cited as cor- 
roborative proof. The De Leon Springs, named after 
the explorer, are situated a few miles from De Land. 
Here the water can also be seen bubbling up, and it forms 
a large pool which is so translucent that a plunge and a 



The Land and the People 



swim in it are a delightful experience. One of the most 
marvellous of all the springs are the Silver Springs, 
near Ocala. The deepest place is eighty-five feet beneath 
the surface. The v^ater is so transparent that the small- 
est object is plainly visible in its lowest depth. Fish and 
turtles on the bottom can be seen just as plainly as if they 
were under so many feet of air. A fish near the bottom 
will cast a shadow when the sun is shining. The sun- 
beams are broken up into rainbow colors. It is generally 
believed that these springs, as well as several others, 
are the outlet of subterranean rivers. The daily flow 
here runs into the millions of gallons. The real cause of 
the phenomena of these many wonderful springs is a 
difificult one to explain in a satisfactory way. In some 
places springs can be distinguished rising in the sea it- 
self near the coast. 

Are you a sportsman ? Then Florida beckons to you. 
The numbers and varieties of fishes in Florida waters 
are truly marvellous. To one who has never witnessed 
such scenes the recital of bare facts is almost unbeliev- 
able. In Tampa Bay and in the waters of Charlotte 
Harbor I have seen the finny denizens not in paltry 
thousands but by the thousand millions. The waters 
would be so filled with minnows that they would make 
dark shadows that were frequently acres in extent. At 
times the fish would rest quietly in layers, beginning 
with the tiniest of fish near the surface, while fish several 
feet long would be observed motionless near the bottom 
or lazily moving about. Needle fish are always on the 
surface and propel themselves gracefully along. Deeper 
down could be distinguished bluefish, ladyfish, Spanish 
mackerel, the convict-like sheepshead, cavalli by the 
hundreds, the revella, blowfish, grunts, sea trout, and an 
occasional small jewfish. At other times there would 



10 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

be great commotion among the sea dwellers in the mad 
strife of devouring and being devoured, and the water 
would be beaten into surf-like waves. Minnows would 
leap into the air in the desperate effort to escape their 
pursuers, and the air would be filled with tinted masses 
of spray. The surface of the water would be filled with 
dead and dying minnows and colored with crimson in 
a short time. 

" A small fish," says a writer of his experience here, 
" which had fallen aboard, was put upon a tarpon hook 
and as it dropped overboard it was swallowed by a jack- 
fish which in turn was seized by a tarpon. A great 
shark took up the trail of a tarpon and a moment later 
had bitten him in two." Tarpon may be seen leaping 
by the hundreds, and the fins of great sharks will be 
observed making a pathway through the frantic fish, 
while porpoises jump above the surface of the water in 
their playful gambols. As if there were not enough 
enemies overhead, scores of pelicans would be sweeping 
down and gathering up great numbers of the minnows 
in their capacious pouches. The fact is that the warm 
water supplied by the Gulf of Mexico on the west and 
the Gulf Stream on the east, in conjunction with the 
warm air in the southern portion of the state, and the 
crystalline purity of the salt water in this latitude, make 
the conditions for the rapid propagation of marine life 
almost perfect. 

The bird life of Florida is likewise one of her greatest 
charms. Birds of brilliant plumage and wonderful song 
will be found everywhere, and the visitor to Florida 
should keep both eyes and ears alert for the feathered 
creatures of the woods and groves and waters. Many 
old and favorite friends will be recognized, but there is 
also an opportunity to make new acquaintances. In a 



The Land and the People 11 

day's trip out from Fort Myers a friend and myself 
identified almost fifty species of birds, and this experi- 
ence can easily be duplicated by anyone else in other sec- 
tions of the state as well. Birds are numerous all over 
the state, but especially so in the south where the water 
birds are so common. This is because of the many little 
lakes, the coast lagoons and the shallow waterways of 
the Everglades. In those waters the white ibis makes 
life miserable for the shrimps and fiddler crabs, its 
favorite food. The little blue heron prefers the chase 
of the elusive frog, while the big white heron pursues 
minnows and the water turkey follows the bream and 
perch. One may find rookeries where fifty thousand 
feathered inhabitants have their homes. 

A visit to a bird rookery at nightfall is of the great- 
est interest. The growing specks upon the horizon soon 
materialize into flocks of birds, which are returning from 
the rivers and bays, the Everglades and the Gulf. As the 
parent birds approach, they are greeted by a chorus of 
unrecognizable screeches from the nests, and a noisy 
family conversation follows. Sometimes there is 
sorrow, for a bird hunter has wrought disaster in a 
particular home, and the young cry for food without 
avail, since birds have not yet learned to feed the orphans 
and they die of starvation. One cannot blame the bird 
hunters so much as some city resident who prides her- 
self on a new plume. The best and most fascinating 
way to hunt these birds is with a camera, and not with 
a gun. By night the trees in these rookeries will be 
heavily burdened by the great flocks of wading birds of 
gorgeous plumage, while others are of the purest of pure 
white, as a pleasing contrast to the variety of colors. 

Florida has had a fascinating history. The romantic 
story of Ponce de Leon and De Soto is followed by the 



12 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

efforts of the Huguenots to establish a French colony on 
the east coast. Under American sovereignty occurred 
the heroic defense of the Seminole Indians against 
Caucasian aggression. Under Spanish domination 
Florida advanced only by increments. The red and 
yellow ensign of Spain had floated over St. Augustine for 
about two centuries when the province of Florida was 
ceded to Great Britain in 1763. During that time little 
progress was made, although the French had made set- 
tlements in Louisiana and along the Mississippi up to the 
falls of St. Anthony, and then eastward along the Great 
Lakes to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in the same period. 
The English had taken possession of the Atlantic sea- 
board with her various colonies, where a population of 
nearly three million were already dwelling. Spain oc- 
cupied little more than she did two hundred years earlier, 
and there were probably not more than six or seven 
thousand Spaniards in Florida at that time. These were 
gathered together within the towns of St. Augustine, 
Pensacola and Mobile, for Florida at that time extended 
to the Mississippi. The rest of the country was almost 
as much of a wilderness as it ever had been. A very 
large percentage of these were dependents upon the 
military and civil governments. Practically no develop- 
ment of the natural resources of the country had taken 
place. The government had simply gathered around its 
garrisoned ports a crowd of parasites and dependents, all 
of whom were contented to live in safety under its pro- 
tection while drawing their salaries for petty official posi- 
tions. 

The English government immediately divided the coun- 
try into East and West Florida. Pensacola was estab- 
lished as the capital of the latter, and St. Augustine of the 
former. Under English rule, which lasted not quite 



The Land and the People 13 

twenty years, the real growth and prosperity of Florida 
began, and the settlers rapidly increased. Many came 
from England, but a large number of Tory colonists also 
drifted into Florida from the Thirteen Colonies, because 
they were dissatisfied with the drift of affairs and did not 
sympathize with the colonial cause in the Revolution. 
Florida did not really find herself until Uncle Sam took a 
hand in her upbuilding and the direction of her destinies. 

Although so near to the oldest and most settled por- 
tions of our great republic, Florida is in the condition of 
a frontier state. The major part of the development that 
has taken place has occurred within the last third of a 
century. The largest towns are newly built, and the map 
of today shows scores of towns that had no existence a 
decade or two past. The jungle has receded, but there 
is an abundance of it still left. The Everglades are now 
beginning to smile under the efforts of the man with the 
plow and hoe. But there is yet plenty of opportunity for 
the pioneer. Without dipping into statistics deeply, a 
little light can be shed on the conditions. In the county 
of which the old city of St. Augustine is the seat of 
government, about one acre in twenty is under cultivation. 
In Orange County, around Orlando, out of over half a 
million acres only a few thousand are under actual culti- 
vation, but much of the surface is covered with lakes. 
Lake County is still larger, but the proportion of tilled 
acres is only a trifle greater. Polk County is one of the 
largest subdivisions in the state, and probably one acre in 
five has received some attention. Each year the number 
of improved acres increases, but there is still abounding 
opportunity for the developer. 

Florida has the advantage of furnishing all kinds of 
attractions for the visitor. She approaches closely to 
being all things to all men. Everywhere there are amuse- 



14 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

ments plus climate — but both climate and amusements 
vary. For instance, Belleair turns up its nose at Palm 
Beach. The former is interested only in golf, and looks 
upon the game of golf as played at the latter place as a 
trifling game. It considers that the idlers at Palm Beach 
spend a great deal of time talking about clothes and the 
stock market that might better be devoted to such all im- 
portant subjects as drivers, mashies and midirons. Many 
a Palm Beacher would succumb to ennui at Belleair in a 
week. At St. Petersburg there are many hotels and 
boarding-houses filled with the same people as you would 
find in our hustling county seats. The benches on the 
main street and in the city park are filled with happy and 
contented people, among whom the middle-aged and 
older predominate. The women listen to the band while 
the men play checkers under the palmetto-thatched shel- 
ters or toss horseshoes on the sward. Down at Long 
Key the sole topic of conversation is of fish and fishing. 
Mashies and drivers are here replaced by tackle and bait. 
Florida has an unusual amount of sea coast. The en- 
tire length of the shore is considerably more than a thou- 
sand miles. The greater part of this immense stretch 
bordering on the sea is dotted with islands. These are of 
all sizes, from Santa Rosa Island and Key Largo more 
than thirty miles in length to mere dots which are large 
enough only to sun a lethargic turtle. From Amelia 
Island, at the mouth of the St. Mary's River, at Fernan- 
dina, there is an almost unbroken chain of islands clear 
down to the Florida Keys, and from Key West on to the 
Dry Tortugas Islands. Going along the west coast the 
survey includes the Ten Thousand Islands, which really 
exceed that number, and then hundreds of other small 
islands up to and including Santa Rosa Island, near 
Pensacola, 



fl 


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m/^M 


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£■[■■■£■£ ■ •"' "'"'-^^.^ 


Si 


n ^ 


■ 




^^1 


il^9^^E^ '^ 


^H 


^^k: ^y 



The Land and the People 15 

Florida is making wonderful strides in the development 
of roads. The visitor to Florida of a few years ago, who 
looked out upon a dreary outlook of sand roads stretch- 
ing through the pine woods, when the deep furrows looked 
as though they had been made by giant boa constrictors, 
will be astonished at the long reaches of splendid brick 
and concrete roads that bind and cement the various sec- 
tions of the state today. Millions of dollars have been 
expended within the past few years, and millions more 
are provided for the immediate future. The work has 
been done by the various counties, for it could not be 
accomplished successfully by local assessment here where 
there is so much unimproved land. The citizens have 
entered into the subject of good roads with enthusiasm, 
presuming, perhaps, that good roads mean increased 
tourist travel in these days of the almost universal use and 
ownership of the automobile. 

It must be remembered by the prospective visitor to 
Florida that this state is not a land of perpetual warmth. 
Northern Florida is naturally much colder than the 
peninsula farther south, and you will find many days 
when the morning temperature is below freezing. Every 
few years the thermometer descends and the oranges 
freeze, so that the later orange growers are all planting 
their trees farther south than formerly. Although the 
cold weather, as a rule, continues only for a very few 
days, it is very trying upon northern visitors. 

The leading hotels are now provided with steam heat, 
but the older hostelries and private residences are not so 
equipped, so that the visitor who is accustomed to weather 
far below zero shivers and feels uncomfortable during 
those days. The hardest freeze is most likely to arrive 
along about the holiday season, but it may come even as 
late as the earliest days of March. Hence it is essential 



16 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

that the visitor should provide himself with warm clothing 
for just such occasions as these. If the freeze does come, 
then he is prepared for just such an emergency. 

At home we install an elaborate heating apparatus for 
moderating a temperature that descends below fifty de- 
grees ; here the natives scorn such things, depending only 
upon an open fire, so they occasionally awake some morn- 
ing and find that all their water pipes are frozen. The 
winter of my visit the temperature in a number of places 
far down in the state reached as low as seventeen degrees 
above zero. The leaves of the orange tree curled up and 
became crisp with the frost, and thousands upon thou- 
sands of boxes of the growing fruit were rendered un- 
marketable. It was indeed a sad sight to see these trees 
turned to brown and to view the crumpled stalks upon 
which beautiful flowers had been blooming only a day or 
two before. Even the palmettoes had curled up a bit, 
demonstrative that the cold had even penetrated their 
tough fiber. All in all, however, the Florida climate has 
few equals and no superiors in the United States. The 
air possesses a soft and tranquillizing quality all its own, 
and the winter season is not marred by the winter rains 
which are such a drawback to California. 



CHAPTER II 

THE ROMANCE OF THE DISCOVERY 

It was the search for a mysterious land named Bimini 
that led to the discovery of Florida. The natives of the 
Bahamas were constantly talking in the presence of the 
Spaniards of a mysterious land where there was a foun- 
tain at the quaffing of whose waters age and its disabili- 
ties immediately disappeared. Near it there also ran a 
river whose waters worked miracles. These stories 
found their way back to Spain through returning soldiers, 
in due course of time, and a map was even published 
about 151 1, by Peter Martyr, which showed this Island 
of Bimini upon which the eyes of the white man had 
never yet been cast. Martyr affirms in an address to the 
Pope " That among the islands on the north side of His- 
paniola, Cuba, there is one about 325 leagues distant in 
which is a spring of running water of such marvelous 
virtue, that the water thereof being drunk, perhaps with 
some diet, maketh the old young again ; and here I must 
protest to your Holiness not to think this be said lightly 
or rashly, for they have so spread this rumor for a truth 
through all the court, that not only all the people, but 
many of those whom wisdom and fortune have divided 
from the common lot think it to be true." The tales of 
Bimini and the marvelous fountain fell upon the ears of a 
former companion of Columbus in his second voyage to 
the New World and aroused his interest. 

The discovery of Florida is one of the most romantic 
episodes in the world's history. The mainland of South 
17 



18 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

America had been reached by Columbus before the south- 
eastern portion of North America had been trodden by 
the white man, unless the claims of Sebastian Cabot are 
accepted, and they do not seem to be well authenticated. 
It is extremely doubtful whether he had ever visited this 
coast south of Cape Hatteras. Juan Ponce de Leon came 
from a distinguished family of the province of Leon, in 
Spain. From his earliest youth he had been given a 
military training, and he had evinced a special aptitude 
in that activity. In personal bravery he was excelled by 
none, for he was one of the bravest of the brave. Co- 
lumbus recognized his talents and looked upon him as 
one of the most valorous of the Spanish cavaliers, 
and he achieved high honors in the conquest of Cuba. 
Hearing of the island of Bariquen (Porto Rico) he 
sought permission to explore this island, which was 
granted very willingly and an expedition was fitted out. 

Promising as his career had seemed, the star of des- 
tiny seemed to have fallen for Ponce de Leon. Com- 
missioned to conquer and colonize Porto Rico, he had suc- 
ceeded only after many hardships and much discourage- 
ment. At last, however, the island was subjugated and 
compelled to submit to the authority of Spain, and the 
conqueror was named as governor. A large personal 
fortune was his reward but he had quickly fallen a victim 
to intrigue and had been superseded. Thus it was that 
at the early age of forty-two years he had become em- 
bittered by what he termed injustice and opened his ears 
willingly to the prospect of a try at the waters of eternal 
youth. Deprived of his dignity as Adelantado of Porto 
Rico, the restless soldier aspired to set on foot some fresh 
expedition which should redound to his honor and profit. 
Bimini seemed to offer this opportunity. Another far 
more interesting incident is related of Ponce de Leon and 



The Romance of the Discovery 19 

his desire for a renewed youth. The inevitable woman 
forms a setting for this other picture. If the tales that 
are related by his biographers are to be believed, there is 
a touch of romance attached to the decision of Ponce de 
Leon to search for the fabled Fountain of Youth. Fate 
had placed in his guardianship as a ward the daughter of 
a companion who had died in his arms on the field of 
battle in the New World. As is always the case, the 
ward was extremely beautiful; and, no doubt, she was 
gifted with almost unearthly beauty to this doughty cava- 
lier who had spent so many years wandering over strange 
and savage lands. She was likewise young, scarcely half 
the age of De Leon, but she seemed enamored of him and 
reciprocated his affection. He loved as only youth loves, 
and wanted to be loved as such in turn. He dreamed of 
this Fountain of Youth, and so he informed his inamorata 
that he would conduct one more exploring expedition. 
Tearfully she pleaded with him not to do so, as he had 
already achieved both honor and riches and should now 
enjoy these at home. He could not dismiss the visiqn 
of restored youth from his mind, however, so decided to 
make one more plunge into the unknown wilderness in 
its search. 

No time was lost in seeking permission from the King 
to explore and subdue for the Spanish crown this new 
land. He managed to secure, through influential friends, 
a patent of discovery and permission to colonize. His 
permission ** to proceed to discover and settle the Island 
of Bimini " was dated the 23rd of February, 15 12. His 
patent was not made so broad as that of the discoverer of 
America, for the King said that Bimini was a reality ( !), 
whence Columbus had sailed out into the unknown. His 
patent covered a period of three years, during which time 
he was permitted to land on any island not belonging to 



20 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

the crown of Portugal. With the wealth that had come 
to him through his public employments, he was enabled 
to purchase and equip vessels for his expedition. It was 
not difficult to obtain followers for such a shadowy and 
chimerical enterprise, for credulity was a common quality 
in that day of marvelous discoveries. 

The troubles that beset Ponce de Leon were many, for 
Fate seems to have been against him from the very be- 
ginning. He touched at Porto Rico and found the 
authorities there so hostile that his single vessel was 
seized. He was delayed on this island for a year by 
order of the home government, and commanded the naval 
forces operating against the belligerent natives. In 
March, 15 13, the situation on that island cleared and De 
Leon was ready to start on his new venture. He gathered 
together his three little caravels, with Anton de Alamines 
as pilot, and set sail. On the 27th he came within sight 
of land, which proved to be the mainland of Florida. 
For several days the vessels cruised along the shores, and 
a landing was finally effected at latitude thirty degrees 
and eight minutes, on the 2nd of April. Formal posses- 
sion was taken of the country in the name of the King 
of Spain, on April 8th. From the green appearance of 
the shore, and because he first came upon the coast on 
Easter Sunday, which is Pascua Florida, in Spanish, it 
was given the name of Florida. The cross was planted 
and the royal banner thrown to the breeze, while all once 
more swore allegiance to His Catholic Majesty. 

For two months Ponce de Leon led his little band in 
discoveries along the shores of Florida, during which time 
it is generally believed that he visited the site of St. 
Augustine. They then embarked and turned toward the 
southwest, along the coast. Less than two weeks later 
another landing was made near an Indian village. In 




JL \N 1'()\CL 1)L 1 L()\ \1 niL loL \ 1 Vl\ (11 \()L 1 H. 



The Romance of the Discovery 21 

attempting to leave here the currents were found to be 
too swift and one ship was driven out of sight. Seeking 
to land again, the natives evinced so much hostility that 
force was necessary to drive them away. In fact, the 
Florida natives everywhere seemed hostile and exceed- 
ingly troublesome. It is quite likely that the attitude of 
the strangers provoked this attitude on the part of the 
aborigines. Ponce de Leon was compelled to again put 
to sea. Continuing his voyage, he sailed around Cape 
Corrientes and discovered a chain of islands, which he 
named The Martyrs. Here the natives attempted even 
to steal the very chains and anchors of the ships in order 
to secure possession of them. Bimini seemed as far 
away as ever, but the search was still continued. In the 
progress of his voyage he also discovered and named the 
Tortugas and a bay that was known for centuries after- 
wards as Juan Ponce Bay. He finally set sail again for 
Porto Rico in the search for the Fountain of Youth, and 
continued at it until nearly the close of the month of 
September. 

When Ponce de Leon reached the Spanish outposts 
once more, he brought back with him nothing except the 
story of his exploration, but he determined to gain what- 
ever credit was possible from his discovery of a new 
country. In order to enhance its importance, he doubt- 
less made a most flattering report of its riches and value 
in the highly imaginative style so characteristic of the 
Castilian. Then it was that the commander decided to 
return to Spain, leaving one caravel under Juan Perez to 
continue the search for the land of Bimini and its mar- 
velous fountain. It is said that he was rallied a good 
deal about the Fountain of Youth by the wits around the 
Spanish Court. 

So glowing was the account given by Ponce de Leon of 



22 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

the islands of Florida and Bimini, however, that the title 
of Adelantado of these islands was given him. A new 
patent authorizing him to settle " the island of Florida 
and the island Bimini " was granted to him. He agreed 
to transport three hundred men thither and to settle and 
colonize it for His Catholic Majesty. Three years from 
the date of his commission was the limit of time allowed 
for this purpose, but this was afterwards extended. It 
vv^as many years from the time of his initial expedition 
before he was permitted to embark on his enterprise and 
continue his explorations. The Caribs were troublesome, 
and Ponce de Leon was kept busy in the war waged 
against them and with other matters until the year 1521. 
By this time he was more subdued and had parted with 
his former illusions. He had probably abandoned all 
expectation of finding the Fountain of Youth. Soldiers 
were promised him to subjugate the new land. His am- 
bition and avarice were aroused by the reports of a late 
expedition that had visited Florida. Their reports 
proved that it was not an island, and he now dreamed of 
founding a great empire which should make his name 
immortal. 

Ponce de Leon absorbed his entire fortune in fitting out, 
at his own expense, two vessels for the enterprise, and 
embarked in February, 1521. One of his instructions 
was that the natives of Florida were to be required to 
submit to the Catholic religion, and they were to be un- 
molested unless they declined to swear allegiance to the 
King of Spain. Since the time of his first visit, Diego 
Mirvelo, a pilot, had sailed from Cuba with a small vessel 
and touched the Florida coast. Obtaining some pieces of 
gold from the natives he gave glowing accounts of the 
richness of the country. Likewise an expedition, com- 
manded by Fernandez de Cordova, had set foot on the 



The Romance of the Discovery 23 

shore, but he sailed away when attacked by a large body 
of natives. From wounds received at this time the leader 
died. 

"I return to that island (Florida), if it please God's 
will, to settle it, being enabled to carry a number of people 
with which I shall be able to do so, that the name of 
Christ may be praised there, and your majesty served with 
the fruit that the land produces. And I also intend to 
explore the coast of said island further and see whether 
it is an island or whether it connects with the land where 
Diego Valasquez is, or any other; and I shall endeavor 
to learn all I can." These are the words that Ponce de 
Leon wrote to his sovereign when finally permitted to 
embark on his long delayed mission. About four hun- 
dred men accompanied him, including priests and friars, 
and he also transported a number of cattle, sheep and 
horses. After encountering severe storms at sea, in 
which his vessels narrowly escaped shipwreck, he suc- 
ceeded in landing his expedition. The exact place of his 
disembarking is not known, but he began at once the work 
of erecting habitations. While engaged in this work the 
Spaniards were attacked by hostile Indians, and the gal- 
lant leader himself was seriously wounded in the head 
by an arrow. Sickness spread among his followers, and 
he quickly realized the futility of remaining longer. 
Grievously wounded in the body, and sick at heart over 
the ill fortune that seemed to attend all his enterprises, 
he decided to forego all its prospective honors. The at- 
tempt at colonizing Florida was abandoned by Ponce de 
Leon, and he conducted his followers to Cuba. He died 
on this island from the effects of his wound, after a long 
and painful illness, widiout having solved the question 
whether Florida was an island or not. On his tomb was 
placed a modest epitaph, which read : '' In this Sepul- 



24 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

chre rests the bones of a Man who was a Lion by name 
and still more by Nature." He left a son, Louis, upon 
whom the title of Adelantado was conferred, but he never 
attempted to carry out the ambitious designs of his father. 

Although Ponce de Leon accomplished no definite re- 
sults, his name stands at the head of the list of those who 
visited Florida either for the purpose of exploration or 
conquest. With the marvelous reports of this cavalier 
before them it could not be long before some one would 
take up the work left unfinished by him. 

The second man to attempt the exploration of Florida 
was Panfilo de Narvaez. This man was a trusted lieu- 
tenant of the Governor of Cuba and had been sent by that 
official to supersede Cortez, because he had become 
jealous of the success of that conquistador in subjugating 
Mexico. Although De Narvaez commanded a force of 
almost two thousand Spaniards and Cuban Indians, he 
was overcome and taken prisoner of Cortez with a force 
of less than three hundred at his command. With all the 
combativeness of his nature, the conqueror of Mexico 
resisted the attempt to have his laurels plucked from him. 
In the short conflict that took place, De Narvaez was cap- 
tured and also lost an eye. His followers submitted 
willingly to the leadership of the gallant Mexican hero. 

After being released by Cortez, De Narvaez returned 
to Spain in order to obtain redress at court. Failing in 
this, he asked authority of the crown to undertake the con- 
quest of Florida, with the title of Adelantado of all the 
regions he might discover and conquer. This commis- 
sion was granted to him, and he was authorized to con- 
quer and govern the province extending from the River 
of Palms (near Tampico) to Cape Florida. One of the 
conditions attached was that he was to found two towns 
and construct an equal number of fortresses. 



The Romance of the Discovery 25 

He embarked on his expedition on the 17th of June, 
1527, with five vessels upon which were six hundred men. 
He halted for a time on San Domingo, where one hun- 
dred and forty of his men withdrew from the enterprise. 
He then sailed for the port of St. lago (Santiago), in 
Cuba, to procure provisions. Finding that he could ob- 
tain these better at Trinidad, he dispatched two of his 
vessels to that island, both of which were totally destroyed 
by a hurricane, together with some seventy souls that were 
on board. Owing to this disaster, he was compelled to 
defer his expedition until the following spring. He 
finally embarked in April, 1529, with a company of four 
hundred armed men and eighty horses. He anchored on 
the 14th of April at a place which is uncertain. Some 
think it was near Charlotte Harbor, while others believe 
it was Clear Water Bay, north of Tampa. On the fol- 
lowing day, which was Good Friday, and which proved to 
be a day of extremely bad omen for the expedition, the 
governor took formal possession of the country in the 
name of Spain and assumed the government of the 
province. A large Indian village was located here, and 
the natives received the Spaniards in a not unfriendly 
manner. 

In the name of the King of Spain, the following 
proclamation was promulgated to the astounded and un- 
comprehending natives : " I, Panfilo de Narvaez, cause 
to be known to you how God created the world and 
charged St. Peter to be the sovereign of all men, in what- 
ever country they might be born. God gave him the 
whole world for his inheritance. One of his successors 
made it a gift to the King and Queen of Spain, so that the 
Indians are their subjects. You will be compelled to 
accept Christianity. If you refuse and delay agreeing 
to what I have proposed to you, I will march against you ; 



26 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

I will make war upon you from all sides ; I will subject 
you to obedience to the church and His Majesty; I will 
obtain possession of your wives and children; I will re- 
duce you to .slavery. I notify you that neither His 
Majesty nor myself, nor the gentlemen who accompany 
me, will be the cause of this, but yourselves only," Dis- 
inclination of the natives to yield immediately to these 
demands doubtless led to many acts of cruelty of which 
this expedition was guilty. 

After a consultation with a number of his officers, De 
Narvaez decided to march along the coast to a large bay, 
of which the pilot had spoken. This was undoubtedly 
unwise, but the soldiers were sick of the sea on which they 
had narrowly escaped shipwreck, and they preferred to 
proceed by land. A hundred men remained on board the 
vessels, which were ordered to proceed along the coast. 
Some three hundred men with forty horses, the only ones 
left out of the eighty placed on board, comprised the land 
expedition as it started. Scanty supplies of provisions 
were provided, as but two pounds of bread and a half 
pound of meat were allowed to each man. They wan- 
dered through the tropical wilderness for fifteen days 
without seeing a living soul or a human habitation. They 
soon became in almost desperate straits for food, for 
game did not seem to be plentiful. They came to a river, 
which is supposed to have been the Withlacoochee, on the 
bank of which they encountered several hundred Indians, 
who conducted them to a nearby village. Hearing of a 
village in the interior called Apalachee, where there was 
much gold and rich booty, they decided to search for this 
place. Cabeca de Vaca, the treasurer of the expedition, 
has left an account of their travels. He mentions several 
rivers which they crossed, and recounts considerable op- 
position from the Indians. He speaks of the difficulty of 



The Romance of the Discovery 27 

the country traversed, which was frequently obstructed 
by trunks of fallen trees of great size. Occasionally 
fields of maize would be found, but at other times they 
journeyed for several days without any sign of cultiva- 
tion. 

Upon reaching the place represented to them as Apala- 
chee, they were greatly disappointed to find it a rude 
Indian town of some forty thatched cabins. This was 
the place which the governor seemed to have believed to 
be almost a second Mexico. One can picture the sad 
awakening that came to him and his followers. De Vaca 
speaks of many animals that they found here, among 
which were " lions and kangaroos." The Spaniards re- 
mained at the Indian town for about one month, during 
which time the natives maintained a continuous state of 
warfare against them. As provisions were becoming 
low, and the hostility of the Indians abated not, they de- 
cided to seek the village of Aute, distant several days' 
journey, where they were assured that abundant supplies 
awaited them. The march forward was contested at 
every step by the Indians, who discharged showers of 
arrows from shelter. Exceedingly powerful were these 
Indians, according to the narrator, w4io says that he had 
himself seen an arrow driven into an elm a span in depth. 
They were of such great stature, says De Vaca, that at 
a distance they appeared to be giants, and they discharged 
their arrows from bows that were eight feet in length. 

After nine days' journeying the Spanish forces reached 
Aute, but to their sorrow they found it abandoned and the 
huts burned. Neither corn nor pumpkins were discov- 
ered, but they were able to procure an abundance of fish 
and oysters from the sea. It was now August, the hottest 
season of the year, and many of the Spanish began to be 
prostrated with tropical fevers. Gold had not been 



28 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

found, and the plenty which was promised them at Aute 
had vanished as had that of Apalachee. Their only hope 
now seemed to be to save their own lives. Their vessels 
had been lost sight of, while sickness was daily thinning 
their ranks and weakening the survivors. The thoughts 
of the leader at this time, as he saw wealth and honors 
alike vanishing, and himself a wanderer in an unknown 
country, surrounded by relentless foes, must have been 
sad indeed. With sorrow and bitterness of heart he 
doubtless recalled the bright hopes with which he set out 
from Cuba, endowed with almost vice-regal powers. 

A council of his followers was held by De Narvaez. 
It was decided to construct boats and endeavor to reach 
the coast of Cuba or Mexico. This seemed almost a 
hopeless undertaking, for they had neither ship carpenters 
nor any tools to build with. A smith of the company, 
however, constructed bellows from deer skins and forged 
bolts, nails, etc., from their swords and accouterments. 
Others cut timber and hewed it into shape. The pal- 
mettos were used in place of tow. Thus it was that, with 
the energy of desperation, they completed within six 
weeks five boats each one hundred and thirty feet in 
length. Diligently indeed did they work, spurred on by 
the joyous hope of speedy delivery. Sails were made 
from their clothing. Cordage was formed from the fiber 
of the palmetto and from the tails and manes of their 
horses, which were twisted into ropes, while bottles to 
carry water were shaped out of the hides of the horses 
killed. Two hundred and forty men were left to embark 
in these boats, on the 22nd of September, 1528. The re- 
maining horses were killed to furnish food. 

De Narvaez commanded the first boat. After the men 
and their supplies were placed on board, the boats were so 
crowded that they could hardly move and were scarcely 



The Romance of the Discovery 29 

six inches out of the water. It was indeed a desperate 
undertaking upon which these famished and discouraged 
men were launching, for none of them had a practical 
knowledge of navigation. The provisions were scant for 
a week's needs. They named the bay upon which their 
boats had been launched the Bay of Cavallos (horses), 
which was probably the head of the Bay of Apalachicola. 
Members of De Soto's expedition were afterwards shown 
this spot, where they found the forge that had been used, 
together with scraps of iron and the bones of the horses. 
The boats sailed westward along the coast in search of the 
River of Palms, from whence they hoped to reach Panuco, 
the northernmost settlement in Mexico. In this way they 
could keep closer to the coast, although it would have 
been much nearer to go to Cuba. 

Hunger and thirst overtook the members of the expe- 
dition, and they were in constant danger of shipwreck. 
At one place they landed and were hospitably received 
by an Indian chief, but the warriors attacked them in 
the night. At another place they landed, supposed to be 
Santa Rosa Island, and were treated with great kindness 
by the natives, who supplied them with fish and an edible 
root. Here two of their boats were wrecked. A third 
was lost near Pensacola Bay a short time afterwards. 
To such extremities were the men reduced that they lived 
for a time on the bodies of those who died. Of eighty 
souls on two boats there remained but fifteen. Near the 
mouth of the Perdido River all of the men from the 
governor's boat went ashore, excepting the governor him- 
self, the cockswain and a boy. They had on board 
neither provisions nor water, when at midnight the boat 
was driven to sea by storm, and nothing more was ever 
heard of the captain-general and Adelantado of Florida. 
His courage was unquestioned, but he lacked the prudent 



30 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

and calculating foresight demanded of a leader who at- 
tempts to tread an unknown wilderness inhabited by a 
cruel and relentless enemy. The remaining members of 
the expedition who began the land march were either 
wrecked or died of disease, or were killed by the sav- 
ages, except five who are known to have escaped. One 
of them was Cabeca de Vaca. He was captured by the 
Indians and kept a slave for six or seven years before he 
escaped. He owed his preservation to a slight knowledge 
of the healing art, because of which he was installed as 
the great medicine man. During his wanderings he tra- 
versed the Gulf States, and was probably the first white 
man to behold the Mississippi and cross the great Father 
of Waters. 



CHAPTER III 

THE STORY OF THE CONQUEST 

Although a number of years had rolled away since 
Ponce de Leon made his memorable expedition into 
Florida in the futile search for the Fountain of Youth, 
no definite attempt had been made to subjugate the hostile 
inhabitants by any European power, except the dis- 
astrous expedition of De Narvaez. It remained for an- 
other Spanish leader to undertake the real conquest of 
our southernmost peninsula for the sacred cause of re- 
ligion. It should be noted, however, that in addition to 
sacred vessels and priestly vestments, with bread and wine 
for the eucharist, they brought over fetters for prisoners 
and bloodhounds to hunt them down. 

One would naturally think that the unfortunate out- 
come in the previous enterprises would have discouraged 
any new adventurer. It must be remembered, however, 
that the Spaniards entertained a very nebulous idea of the 
country called Florida. According to their notion it ex- 
tended for illimitable distances north and west, and no 
one knew but that the interior might rival in its opulence 
and splendor both Mexico and Peru. The man who 
arose to undertake the discovery and conquest of this vast 
and unknown region was Hernando de Soto. Although 
still a comparatively young man, De Soto had experienced 
a remarkable career. The son of an impecunious hidalgo 
of Spain, for we are assured that he was a gentleman by 
all four descents, he had nothing to recommend him but 
his valor and a handsome presence. He had been one of 
31 



32 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

a thousand motley adventurers who followed Pedrarias 
de Avila to Panama. His only estate were a sword and 
buckler. A score of years later he had returned to Spain 
filled with honors and endowed with much of this world's 
goods. He cast his fortunes with Pizarro, in his expedi- 
tion into Peru, and became one of his leading generals. 
His conduct was signalized by a rare combination of 
valor and prudence. In council his judgment was excel- 
lent, and in every perilous undertaking he was ever fore- 
most. The leader had singled him out from the many 
adventurous spirits around him, and it is said that his 
name stood next after the two Pizarros themselves in the 
subjugation of the Incas. 

De Soto's share of the Peruvian spoils was one hun- 
dred and eighty thousand golden crowns, a princely sum 
in those days. When he appeared at the court of the 
Emperor Charles V it was in magnificent style with such 
a retinue of servants as befitted a rich man, and he was 
accompanied by a goodly company of brave cavaliers. 
Some of these men had been his companions in the armies 
in the New World. His personal appearance was in 
harmony with his great reputation, for he was a hand- 
some man, above the average stature, and gifted with an 
expressive countenance. He might at this time have pur- 
chased an estate and retired to enjoy his honors, for he 
married a lady of distinguished family soon after his 
return. But the former companion of Pizarro was ani- 
mated with an ambition for further distinction and pos- 
sibly increased riches. 

After enjoying the relaxation of society for a time, in 
which he had been much feted, De Soto heard rumors of 
the wonderfully rich land of Florida from a returned 
adventurer. This man was Cabeca de Vaca, who had 
experienced wonderful adventures in the New World, 



The Story of t he Conquest 33 

and whose tales were even more marvellous than the facts 
justified. Although his story was one of hardship, he 
related it in a way that left the impression he had not 
disclosed it all. To his hearers it seemed that he was 
concealing some of it for personal reasons, for he always 
insisted that he intended to seek permission of the crown 
to further prosecute his discoveries. The curiosity and 
ambition of De Soto were aroused by De Vaca's story, 
and he finally decided to throw his fortune into the effort 
to conquer this promising land. In that event his name 
would be linked with those of Cortez and Pizarro. Not 
a doubt existed in his mind that somewhere in the interior 
would be found fabulous wealth. Others of his former 
companions backed him with their prize money and their 
voluntary services. The king had begun to believe that 
Florida was another Mexico or Peru, and that De Soto 
was another promising conquistador. He bestowed upon 
De Soto the office of governor and captain-general, and 
vested him with the title of Adelantado for life. As a 
bonus he was granted two hundred leagues of land along 
the coast and a tract twelve leagues square in the interior, 
to be chosen by himself. He was also made Governor of 
Cuba and a knight of the Military Order of St. lago. 

The news of this proposed expedition was spread broad- 
cast throughout Spain with great trumpeting. Little else 
was talked about in city, town or country. It was re- 
ported that De Soto and his companions were about to 
expend their hundreds of thousands of ducats in a new 
fleet, and it was not long until cavaliers, soldiers, peasants, 
laborers and artisans hastened to volunteer their services. 
IVIany sold or mortgaged their estates to purchase an 
interest in the expedition. None seemed to doubt the 
success of the venture, for they had witnessed with their 
own eyes shiploads of gold and silver brought from the 



34 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

— ■ 

New World. In a little more than a year after the first 
proclamation of the enterprise, nine hundred and fifty 
Spaniards, of all degrees and rank, had assembled in the 
port of San Lucas de Barrameda. Never did a com- 
mander have offered to him a more brilliant body of men 
for such service. Included in the party were twenty-four 
priests and monks. Seven large and three small vessels 
had been procured to carry this band of adventurers out 
toward the setting sun. 

The fleet set sail on the sixth of April, 1538, and started 
out to sea with the merry sound of trumpets. Without 
adventure they sailed safely into the harbor of Santiago 
de Cuba late in May. The arrival of a new governor was 
an event of tremendous importance and the whole city 
turned out to do him honor. After three months of en- 
tertainment, which included banquets, balls and bull-fights, 
De Soto sailed on to Havana, where a summer and winter 
were passed while further preparations were made for the 
conquest of Florida. Juan de Anasco was dispatched 
twice to locate a favorable place of debarkation for the 
expedition, and on the second voyage he nearly met with 
disaster. He brought back with him four natives who 
were to serve as guides and interpreters. Two additional 
vessels were purchased and loaded in Havana, and some 
reinforcements were added. 

De Soto now had a thousand men and three hundred 
and fifty horses enlisted for his enterprise. It was not 
until the 25th of June, 1539, that the vessels sailed up 
Tampa Bay, which he named Esplritu Sancto, and sighted 
land. Barges were sent ashore to search for a landing- 
place, and they returned with fruits and greens of various 
kinds. On the following Sabbath, which was Trinity 
Sunday, formal possession was taken of the shore while 
the Spanish banner and royal arms were raised and fixed 



The Story of the Conquest 35 

on the beach. Several hundred soldiers were landed and 
not an Indian was in sight. All of them thought that 
they had never gazed upon such a beautiful land. At 
nightfall, however, after the soldiers had retired to rest, 
an attack was made by hostile Indians who had sur- 
rounded them. The air was filled with their deafening 
yells. Overwhelmed and confused, these soldiers, unused 
to the wiles of savages, rushed to the beach and sounded 
their trumpets for assistance. More soldiers were disem- 
barked and the Indians essayed no further attack. Then 
the entire party came ashore and the equipment was 
landed. 

A deserted Indian village was discovered a few miles 
distant, and here it was that the commander decided to 
establish himself for the present. This spot is believed 
to be on the site of the present city of Tampa. The vil- 
lage was a small one, consisting only of a row of low 
cabins thatched with the palmetto. The dwelling of the 
chief, which was somewhat more pretentious, was taken 
possession of by De Soto, while the others were used as 
barracks for the troops. Horsemen were sent out to 
patrol the neighborhood. The ground was cleared of 
trees and underbrush for a distance of a crossbow shot, 
and sentinels were posted day and night. Several natives 
were captured for guides, but the absence of interpreters 
was a handicap. Those brought with them proved of 
little value. The Spaniards managed to understand, 
however, that the village belonged to a chief named 
Hirrihigua. Friendly messages were sent to him, but he 
flatly declined all overtures. Here information was 
gathered about the previous expedition by Panfilo de 
Narvaez, who had landed on this coast. He had per- 
formed several acts of cruelty toward the natives, who 
had then pursued him. He had at first been received 



36 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

kindly by the chief Hirrihigua but, becoming enraged for 
some unknown reason, he had ordered the chief's nose to 
be cut off and his mother to be torn to pieces by dogs. 
It is no wonder that this chief was filled with hatred to- 
ward all white invaders. 

It was learned that one of the followers of De Narvaez 
was in captivity with a native chief. Troops were dis- 
patched in an effort to find him, and in this quest they 
were successful. This man, by the name of Juan Ortiz, 
had been compelled to undergo the most terrible tortures. 
He was the survivor of four men who had been cap- 
tured, the other three having been put to death in a most 
horrible manner. He would likewise have shared the 
same fate, had it not been for the kindly interposition of 
the chief's own daughter. To save his life she secretly 
sent him to a neighboring powerful chief, to whom she 
had been promised in marriage. The lover faithfully 
carried out her wishes, but he lost his promised bride as 
a result. This chief Mucoso, when he heard of the land- 
ing of the Spaniards, sent Ortiz with friendly assurances. 
It was while on his way to the Spanish camp that he en- 
countered the searching party. Great was the rejoicing 
of all over his safe return. Mucoso remained on friendly 
terms with the Spaniards and frequently visited their 
camp. 

After De Soto's fleet had been unloaded, and the sup- 
plies stored, the large ships were sent back to Havana 
while the smaller ones were kept for the use of the expe- 
dition. This was done so that his followers would dis- 
miss all hope of returning. A proclamation was issued 
ordering the army to march, and in a few days it ad- 
vanced into the interior, Pedro Calderon, a hardy 
veteran, was left in charge of the small garrison. He 
was instructed to avoid friction with the aborigines and 



The Story of the Conquest 37 

to cultivate their friendship. With him were left forty 
horsemen and eighty mounted soldiers. The more the 
Spaniards saw of the country as they proceeded inland, 
the better they were pleased with it. After passing 
through the territory of Hirrihigua, whose friendship it 
was impossible to win, they entered the domain of his 
brother-in-law Urribarricaxi, but found his chief village 
deserted and abandoned. De Soto was unable to enter 
into any communication whatever with him, but he found 
considerable provisions at the village. Soon afterwards 
the invaders began to have their first real experience with 
Florida swamps. For three days they traveled along the 
edge of one of the typical Florida morasses looking for 
some opening or foot path, but none was found. They 
were constantly attacked by the Indians, but the arrows 
fell harmlessly against the armor of the Spanish horse- 
men. A few captives were taken and forced to act as 
guides, but all proved false. De Soto ordered four of 
them thrown to hungry dogs when a fifth, terrified at the 
fate of his companions, offered to conduct them faith- 
fully. He did so, and they were soon able to make a 
circuit of the swamp. 

After passing through the territory of Urribaricaxi, 
the Spaniards came into that of another chief, named 
Acuera. Here again it was found that the Indians had 
mysteriously vanished. A few captives and presents 
were sent to their chief. Even this bait failed to bring 
him, for he was too wily to be lured into the power of the 
Spaniards. He sent word that he would fight them by 
ambush and stratagem so long as they remained in his 
domain, by beheading two of them every week. He kept 
his threat for the three weeks that the Spaniards con- 
tinued within his boundaries. He more than doubled his 
threat, for fourteen of the Spaniards fell victims to his 



38 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

followers, and all of them were beheaded. A Spaniard 
could not wander one hundred yards from camp without 
being struck by an arrow. By the time his companions 
reached the spot, they would find a headless corpse. The 
Spaniards killed about fifty warriors, but did no injury 
either to the fields or villages. 

De Soto reached the village of Ocali, supposed to be 
near Ocala, and found it deserted, but its storehouses 
were filled with vast quantities of maize, vegetables and 
fruits, which were very acceptable. Messages were dis- 
patched to the chief, and he was finally persuaded to visit 
the camp. He was received in the most friendly manner, 
but he was so suspicious that nothing was gained. 

After leaving the Ocali, the Spaniards entered a vast 
territory through which the army marched for fifty 
leagues. This was divided among three brothers, and 
was known as Vitachuco. The oldest and most powerful 
of the brothers ruled over one-half of it. The youngest 
and least important of the brothers was captured by 
strategy and kept a prisoner for a time. Ochile was 
treated with such distinction and flattery that he was per- 
suaded to send messages to his brothers advising their 
submission. One of the brothers arrived with a suite of 
fine warriors and acknowledged submission. The third 
brother, however, was of a different temperament and 
would have nothing to do with the Spaniards. He up- 
braided his brothers for their weakness. He promised 
to roast one-half of the Spaniards and boil alive the other 
half. Every day a couple of heralds would approach the 
camp and proclaim defiance with great bravado. By this 
means he sought to terrify the invaders. The two chiefs 
finally went forth and made a personal appeal to the 
recalcitrant brother. The brother finally pretended to 
be won by their persuasion, and a day was appointed for 



The Story of the Conquest 39 

the meeting. The Indian chief marched to the place of 
rendezvous, accompanied by his two brothers and five 
hundred warriors, all of the latter being adorned with 
plumes of various colors and armed with bows and arrows 
of the finest workmanship. The meeting was cordial and 
the cacique professed friendliness and good will. On the 
following day the Spaniards visited the village of Vita- 
chuco, where two days were spent in feasting and re- 
joicing. On the third day the two brothers departed. 

On the fifth day after the meeting, some of the Indian 
interpreters informed Juan Ortiz of a plot, which he in 
turn related to De Soto. The plan of Vitachuco was to 
have a general muster of his subjects who were to be 
drawn up in battle array without arms. The weapons 
were to be near at hand, however, and ready for instant 
use. The Indian chief hoped to lure the white men into 
his power and then massacre them. The Spaniards were 
too sharp, however, and being warned, they met treachery 
with treachery. They proceeded to the review in battle 
array, with glittering arms and fluttering banners. Be- 
fore the chief could give his signal, a Spanish trumpet 
sounded a warning blast. The chief himself was seized 
and borne away. The Spaniards came out victorious and 
many Indian warriors fell dead on the battlefield. Those 
who were captured were distributed among the soldiers 
as slaves. Rage and hatred rankled in Vitachuco's heart, 
and he planned another scheme of vengeance. As his 
captured subjects equalled in number their captors, he 
conceived it would be possible by a preconcerted move- 
ment, to rid themselves of their oppressors. Word was 
quietly sent around that at the war-whoop each Indian 
was to grapple with his master and endeavor to kill him. 
After the dinner he seized De Soto, with whom he dined, 
and gave the signal. Many of the Spaniards were seri- 



40 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

ously injured, but only one was killed. The chief and 
most of his warriors were killed, De Soto was so badly 
injured that he could eat no solid food for twenty days. 

Resuming their march, the next village through which 
the Spaniards passed was that of Osachile. This village 
was deserted and the Spaniards remained only long 
enough to ambush some slaves, who were taken along 
with chains fastened to iron collars around their necks. 
They then proceeded toward Apalache, a great province 
of which they had heard much. The boundary of this 
domain was a vast swamp, which was so impassable that 
the Spaniards simply called it the Great Swamp, for all 
others dwindled into insignificance by comparison. The 
Indians encountered were driven back and many were 
killed. They were brave but their weapons were insuf- 
ficient against the armor of the invaders. A great battle 
arose between two hundred picked men who had been 
ordered to cut a road through the forest and across the 
water. The jungle was finally passed and dry wood-land 
again encountered. The fight was not ended, however, 
for the Indians crept from tree to tree and concealed 
themselves behind the bushes in order to pick off the 
Spaniards one by one. For two long leagues they were 
obliged to toil and fight their way through this forest. 
The Indians had blocked up the open places with great 
logs, and had tied branches across from tree to tree in 
order to impede the horses. The Indians amply justified 
their reputation for fierceness. Even when captured, 
they bore themselves with haughtiness and defiance. The 
Spaniards finally succeeded in reaching a large Indian 
village, named Anhayea, where they rested for a time and 
finally spent the winter season there. This is believed 
to have been in the neighborhood of Tallahassee. 

One of the most interesting incidents of the expedition 



The Story of the Conquest 41 

was the journey of thirty cavaHers back to the base garri- 
son, for De Soto had decided that there was no need to 
maintain two camps. These men were under the com- 
mand of Juan de Anasco, who had greatly distinguished 
himself by his good judgment. He was ordered to 
choose twenty-nine companions and march back one hun- 
dred and fifty leagues. He did not shrink from the com- 
mission, but entered upon it with enthusiasm. The men 
were equipped as lightly as possible, wearing a helmet and 
coat of arms, carrying their lances in their hands and a 
small wallet of food hanging from their saddles. They 
planned to travel at full speed and kill every Indian they 
met, so that no news could be sent ahead. The first day 
they covered eleven leagues and killed two Indians. 
They passed through several Indian villages and left a 
bloody trail behind them. 

Some of the adventures that befell this band of a score 
and a half of cavaliers approached the marvelous, at least 
according to the accounts which they have left us. On 
several occasions they were obliged to swim across the 
swollen streams when hostile savages were pursuing 
them. While passing through the province of Acurea 
one of the men sickened and died in the saddle. About 
midnight of the same day the comrade of this man also 
succumbed, under almost the identical circumstances. 
The belief arose that these deaths were due to the plague, 
and four of the men ran away panic stricken. All 
dropped to their knees in prayers that they might be 
spared by the Death Angel. At one time it occupied them 
nearly an entire day to get their horses across a stream. 
By the time this was accomplished the men were almost 
frozen and spent with fatigue, for they had little food 
with them to restore their strength. At last they suc- 
ceeded in reaching their comrades and rode up to the 



42 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

headquarters of Calderon in battle array. The camp was 
then broken up and the entire garrison was started on 
its march to Apalache. De Anasco took the two 
ships and sailed along the coast in search of the Bay of 
Aute. 

De Soto himself was not idle, for he was kept on the 
alert both day and night by the assaults and ambushes of 
the Indians. His soldiers could not venture outside the 
camp for fear of death. De Soto employed all his skill to 
locate the chief of the hostiles, finally learning that he was 
secreted in the center of a great forest. The governor 
decided to make the search himself. He set out with a 
picked body of men and reached the lair of Capafi, the 
chief. He was ensconced here like a spider in the midst 
of its web. A little fortified camp had been constructed 
to which there was only a narrow entrance, and he found 
the savages ready for him. The fight was not a facile 
one, but the outcome was inevitable. Seeing that his men 
were being ruthlessly slaughtered, the chief surrendered. 
The Spaniards gazed upon him in wonder, for they had 
never seen a man so fat. Not only was he so corpulent 
that he could not walk, but he was not even able to hold 
his body upright on his feet. In public it was necessary 
for his attendants to carry him, and in private he crawled 
about on his hands and knees. He was received affably 
by the Spaniards and was not watched very carefully be- 
cause the Spaniards thought it impossible for him to 
escape and, besides, he appeared very submissive. He 
simulated friendliness for the Spaniards and sent mes- 
sages to his followers to cease their fighting. As they 
did not obey he asked De Soto to permit him to go as a 
messenger of peace. In accordance with this desire, the 
chief was carried several leagues into the forest, and then 
the Spaniards retired. After a reasonable delay they 




DE SOTO IN THE FLORIDA WILDERNESS. 



The Story of the Conquest 43 

again went forward, but to their surprise they found that 
the chief had disappeared. 

It was in the last week of December that Juan de 
Anasco, with caravels, arrived in the Bay of Apalache. 
Six days later, Pedro Calderon and his detachment 
marched painfully into the camp, for the men and horses 
were sore and wounded. They were hailed by their com- 
rades with shouts of joy and as men raised from the dead, 
for the Indians had brought word that all had been killed. 
It was a gratification to the leaders of the two expedi- 
tions, one by land and one by sea, to know that each had 
safely reached the camp of De Soto. A week later Diego 
de Maldonado embarked on the caravels and sailed one 
hundred leagues to the west. At the end of a couple of 
months he returned, bringing two captives and the news 
of a most beautiful port which he had discovered. This 
port was called by the Indians Achusi, and is now known 
as Pensacola Bay. This was just what the Spanish com- 
mander wanted. A few days later two of the caravels 
were sent to Havana to announce the new discovery to 
the wife of De Soto, and to inform her of the success of 
the expedition. He was ordered to bring back an abun- 
dant supply of clothing, weapons and ammunition of all 
kinds to Achusi, where De Soto himself would meet him 
in the following October. 

The rest of this winter was spent at Apalache without 
any adventures of particular note. Food was secured by 
foraging around over the country and some of the Indian 
villages. The Indians continued hostile, and it was neces- 
sary to remain constantly on guard against ambush. 
During the winter a number of the soldiers were killed 
and many of the horses, which were almost invaluable, 
were slain by Indian marksmen. 

In the early spring of 1540, after five months in camp. 



44 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

the Spaniards under De Soto, left Apalache and jour- 
neyed toward the northeast. Foraging here had been an 
easy matter, for great quantities of beans, pumpkins, 
maize and fruits were to be obtained within a short dis- 
tance. Two Indians had been captured during the win- 
ter, who came from distant provinces. They told of a 
remote province, called Cofachiqui, which was ruled by a 
female chief, who received tribute from all her neighbors. 
From their reports De Soto understood that the chief 
traffic of this tribe was in gold and silver. It was there- 
fore determined to march in search of Cofachiqui. They 
soon left the border of Florida, as we understand that 
term today, and it will not be within our province to fol- 
low their remaining travels in detail. The first Indian 
town De Soto encountered on his route was Yapuha. 
Here he was met in a friendly manner and courteously 
entertained, and De Soto " left a very high crosse of 
wood sett in the middest of the market place." This 
part of the country was more thickly inhabited than the 
land farther south, for one chief is said to have sent in 
two thousand Indians bearing many presents. Among 
the goods brought were a number of dogs, for it seems 
that these Indians were very fond of dog flesh. 

Near the Atlantic Coast of South Carolina, De Soto 
came upon the territory of the Indian queen, who is said 
to have been endowed with great beauty and loveliness. 
Upon approaching her capital, he was met by her sister 
who welcomed the strangers with a courteous speech. 
The chronicler of the expedition waxes eloquent in his 
description of the queen and the ceremonies which the 
Spaniards witnessed. The Indian princess bestowed 
upon the Adelantado rich presents of the cloths and skins 
of the country, and many beautiful strings of pearls. 
She took from her own neck a magnificent cordon of 



The Story of the Conquest 45 

pearls and placed it about the neck of De Soto. So large 
was this string that it passed three times around her neck, 
then descended to her waist. Perceiving that the Span- 
iards valued the pearls highly, the princess advised De 
Soto to search certain graves, the location of which was 
indicated to him, where he would find many pearls. They 
followed her instructions and found fourteen bushels of 
pearls, weighing two hundred and twelve pounds. They 
found little babies and birds made of these gems. 

Many of the Spaniards were so wearied with their long 
marches and the many hardships that they had undergone, 
and were so pleased with the domain of this princess, 
which contained more wealth than any they had yet seen, 
that they urged upon their leader to remain here. He 
replied that he was not satisfied with a pleasant country, 
nor with the purest of pearls, but that he was searching 
for a land abounding in gold, and that they must pro- 
ceed with him. De Soto compelled the Indian princess to 
accompany him for a number of days, doing that to in- 
sure the good behavior of the Indians, but she suddenly 
disappeared one day. At the same time one of the Span- 
iards in his company vanished. It was believed that he 
joined the fair princess and returned with her to her 
tribe. 

From Cofachiqui to the borders of the Tennessee 
River, the governor encountered no opposition. At one 
time he was presented with seven hundred hens ; on an- 
other occasion three hundred dogs were brought to him 
for his table. After traveling through the upper parts 
of South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, he changed his 
course southward and arrived at a town called Mautila, 
near the present site of Mobile. Here he encountered 
bitter opposition from the natives. The pearls and the 
baggage which was being carried by Indian slaves were 



46 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

captured by them and carried into the town. In his 
effort to destroy the Indians De Soto set fire to the 
buildings, so that his own baggage and the great quanti- 
ties of pearls were destroyed in the conflagration. His 
own losses were eighteen men killed and one hundred 
and fifty wounded. While here De Soto learned that 
Maldonado was waiting for him at Achusi (Pensacola), 
according to instructions given him. The governor's 
pride prevented him turning back, however, while there 
was still a glimmering hope of accomplishing the main 
design of his expedition, which was the discovery of 
gold. Thus it was that he deliberately turned his face 
toward the setting sun, away from his native land, leav- 
ing behind all the wealth and distinction arising from 
his governorship of Cuba. Maldonado, after waiting a 
long time for his commander, despaired of ever seeing 
him again and set sail for Havana. 

De Soto changed his course to the northwest, and at 
every step he was met with demonstrations of enmity, 
from the natives. Sore of body and wearied in spirit, 
he moved onward until he finally reached the Mississippi, 
which the Spaniards called the Rio Grande, or the Great 
River. They described the river as " about half a league 
broad. If a man stood still on the other side, it could 
not be discerned whether he were a man or not. The 
river was of great depth and of strong current; the 
water was always muddy; there came down the river 
continually, many trees and timber, which the force 
of the water and stream brought down. There was a 
great store of fish in it of sundrie sorts, and the most 
of it differing from the fresh-water fish of Spain ! " 
From the cottonwood trees on its banks De Soto con- 
structed boats capacious enough to carry three at a time, 
and crossed over at night without interruption from the 



The Story of the Conquest 47 

natives. He spent the summer and autumn in exploring 
the regions beyond the Mississippi and wintered, it is sup- 
posed, upon the White River. He then conchided that 
in the spring he would go to the seacoast and dispatch 
one vessel to Cuba and another to Mexico, with the 
view of sending to his wife, the Lady Isabella, who was 
in Cuba, intelligence of himself, and for another outfit 
to enable him further to prosecute his expedition. Up 
to this time he had lost two hundred and fifty men and 
one hundred and fifty horses. 

About the middle of April De Soto returned to the 
banks of the Mississippi and began to make inquiries 
about the country beyond, but he secured very little 
satisfactory information. He sent an expedition to the 
south, but it could make no progress on account of the 
swampy nature of the land. The gallant chief now 
began to yield to a feeling of discouragement and to 
sink into despondency. A slow fever was gradually 
weakening him, and he felt that his last hour was ap- 
proaching. He gathered his followers around him in 
twos and threes to receive his parting words, and named 
Luis Muscoza Alvardo to succeed him as leader of the 
expedition. On the 21st of May, 1542, "departed out 
of this life the valorous, virtuous and valiant Captaine 
Don Fernando De Soto, Governor of Cuba and 
Adelantado of Florida"; whom, says the chronicler, 
" fortune advanced as it useth to do others, that he might 
have the higher fall. He departed in such a place and 
such a time, and in his sickness he had but little com- 
fort." 

In order that the Indians might not secure the body, 
it was wrapped in his mantle and was conveyed by the 
dim light of the stars to the middle of the river that he 
had discovered and dropped into the stream. " The dis- 



48 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

coverer of the Mississippi slept beneath its waters. He 
had crossed a large part of the continent in search of 
gold, and found nothing so remarkable as his burial 
place." The new leader attempted to reach Mexico 
by land, but, becoming discouraged in this attempt, con- 
cluded to construct boats. The Spaniards built seven 
large boats and floated down the Mississippi. Coasting 
along the shore, they reached the nearest Spanish settle- 
ment in Mexico, Panuco, where they were joyfully re- 
ceived and treated with great kindness. The number 
arriving at Panuco numbered three hundred and eleven 
persons, the only survivors of the thousand brave men 
who had landed at Tampa' Bay four years earlier, ex- 
cepting the few men who had returned to Cuba with 
Maldonado. 

The disasters that befell the conquest of Florida had 
not yet reached their end with the important expedition 
of De Soto. In 1545 a treasure-ship on a voyage from 
Spain to Mexico was wrecked on the coast of Florida. 
Some two hundred survivors who reached the shore fell 
victims to the Indians. A few captives were retained 
by them as slaves, one of whom, Laudonniere, served 
them for twenty years before making his escape. A few 
years afterward, a fleet of several boats met disaster on 
the west coast of Florida while on their way from 
Havana to Spain. Of the thousand persons on board, 
three hundred safely reached land. Constantly harassed 
by the fierce natives, all fell victims to their savagery 
excepting only one Francis Mercos. He had been 
abandoned by his companions in a dying condition. 
Recovering somewhat he crawled along the coast until 
he was discovered by two friendly Indians, who carried 
him to Panuco. Four Franciscan brothers sailed from 
Havana to Christianize the Florida natives. They 



The Story of the Conquest 49 

landed at Tampa Bay in the year 1549. Two of these 
set out at once toward the interior and were massacred 
by the natives. The others remained on board their 
little boat. While there they were joined by a Spaniard 
who had been kept a prisoner by the Indians for ten 
years. One of the two remaining priests, undiscouraged 
by the fate of the others, determined to try his powers 
of persuasion upon the aborigines. He landed alone 
among a dusky throng of warriors assembled upon the 
shore. Scarcely had his feet reached dry land before 
he fell a victim to his zeal. The remaining father and 
his companions then abandoned the expedition and re- 
turned to Cuba. 

In the year 1559 an expedition on a large scale was 
prepared to conquer this inhospitable peninsula, where 
so many disasters had befallen the Spaniards. It con- 
sisted of fifteen hundred soldiers, together with a large 
number of friars and priests, and was under the com- 
mand of Don Tristan de Luna. It sailed from Vera 
Cruz amid salvos of artillery and shouts of good will 
from the assembled multitude. On the 14th of August 
the fleet cast anchor in Pensacola Bay, which was given 
the name of Santa Maria. A few days later a terrific 
gale suddenly arose which destroyed the entire fleet. 
Fortunately, the party had already been landed and a 
reconnoitering expedition dispatched into the interior. 
The loss of the ships was a severe blow in itself, and the 
reconnoitering parties brought back unfavorable reports. 
Some of them found only vast deserts and solitude. 
Supplies ran so low that the soldiers lived partly on 
acorns, the bitterness of which was relieved by boiling 
them first in salt water and then in fresh water. They 
became so reduced that they began to look forward to 
death itself as a relief from their sufferings. 



50 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Hearing of the rich province of Coca, where food was 
reported to abound, De Luna sent a detachment of two 
hundred men to find it. Some of the men died of starva- 
tion before they reached a land where chestnuts and 
hickory-nuts abounded. Soon afterwards they reached 
some Indian villages, where they obtained food. The 
far-famed Coca proved to be a small village of about 
thirty huts and a few smaller settlements. The 
Spaniards were treated kindly, but food was not 
abundant. De Luna had gone to Baporica (Mobile 
Bay) but returned to Santa Maria. Here discussions 
arose. One party wanted to proceed to Coca and the 
other was unwilling. De Luna's authority was broken 
because of the violence of the dispute. In the mean- 
time the vessels sent to Havana to procure relief reached 
there safely and the two vessels were loaded with provi- 
sions for the stranded Spaniards. He remained at 
Santa Maria for five months longer, when an emissary 
arrived from the Viceroy of Cuba, bearing the appoint- 
ment of Governor of Florida. Councils were held on 
the course to be pursued. Most of the Spaniards left, 
but De Luna and a few followers remained and a com- 
munication was sent to the Viceroy of Mexico. Because 
of the many misfortunes that official was unwilling to 
pursue the attempt farther and recalled De Luna. Thus 
ended in absolute failure the best appointed expedition 
that had ever come to Florida, and it was the last. 
Under better management it might have achieved success 
and a colony planted here on the shore of Pensacola 
Bay. 



CHAPTER IV 

THE TRAGEDY OF THE HUGUENOTS 

One of the most tragic incidents in the history of 
Florida is afforded by the estabhshment of a colony of 
Huguenots from France. This was also the first practical 
attempt at permanent colonization of the peninsula, for 
all previous expeditions had resulted in nothing more 
than adding to the world's geographical knowledge. 
Furthermore, the Huguenot colonists became the first 
martyrs to civil and religious liberty on the North 
American continent, for they arrived half a century be- 
fore the Puritans stepped ashore at Plymouth. Driven 
from their native land by intolerable opposition and 
persecution, these followers of the new faith sought 
freedom to worship the Almighty as seemed to them 
best on the shores of the New World. Their trials and 
sufferings and the tragic end of so many enliven the an- 
nals of Florida history. 

The initial French expedition to the Florida shores 
was led by Jean Ribaut, an excellent seaman and a 
staunch Protestant, in 1562. This was indeed a trouble- 
some year in France, when a wild rage of fanaticism and 
hate was sweeping over the land. Father was grappling 
with son, brother with brother; altars were being pro- 
faned and hearthstones made desolate. Ribaut and his 
band crossed the Atlantic in a couple of antiquated crafts 
and landed near Matanzas Inlet, on the 30th of April. 
They then turned their prows northward and reached 
the mouth of a great river on the following day. Kneel- 

51 



52 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

ing on the ground they voiced their thanks to God, who 
had safely guided their voyage. The bright sun, the 
tranquil air, the woods fresh with verdure and the 
meadows bright with flowers, the strange and beautiful 
birds, all appealed to these imaginative Frenchmen. 
They then anchored at Fernardina and touched at a 
number of points farther north, suffering terrible 
hardships before returning to their beloved France. 
This was but the opening act of a tragic drama in the 
attempt to plant the banner of France and Protestantism 
on the shores of the Florida peninsula. 

It was on the 22nd of June, 1564, that the Indians of 
the village called Seloy, on the sandy eastern coast of 
Florida, descried three strange ships approach the shores 
and come to anchor a short distance out. Two small 
boats soon afterwards put out and approached the village, 
whereon there was a great commotion among the 
aborigines. Most of them hastened down to greet the 
strangers, whom they hailed with a warm welcome. It 
was at the season of the year when the country is at 
its best, and the delight of the passengers knew no 
bounds. The ensigns bore the fleur-de-lis of France, 
and the name of the leader was Rene de Laudonniere, a 
man of noble birth. Two years earlier he had visited the 
same coast with Jean Ribaut, and had carried across 
the seas tales of " the wonderful beauty of the country, 
the sweetness of the climate, the richness and variety of 
the fruits and flowers, the game in the forests, the multi- 
tudes of fish in the water." On this visit he had estab- 
lished friendly relations with the natives, who now- 
welcomed his return, and he was overwhelmed with the 
gifts of those simple people of the wilderness. " After 
they had made much of us, they showed us their para- 
couffy, that is to say, their king and governor, to whom 



The Tragedy of the Huguenots 53 

I presented certain toys ; and, for my own part, I prayse 
God continually for the great love which I have found 
in these Savages, which were sorry for nothing but that 
the night approached and made us retire unto our ships. 
. . . Before my departure, I named this river the River 
of Dolphines, because at mine arrival I saw there a 
great number of Dolphines, which were playing in the 
mouth thereof." Thus runs an old English translation 
of Laudonniere's account of his arrival. This is now 
the harbor of St. Augustine. 

From Seloy the French sailed north for a distance of 
forty miles to a stream which had previously been named 
River of May. Here a concourse of natives, arrayed 
in smoke-tanned deerskins stained in sandy colors, like- 
wise welcomed them. They crowded around the voyag- 
ers with beaming visages. A pillar of stone, bearing the 
French coat of arms, which had been erected by the 
previous expedition, was found wreathed with garlands 
of flowers and evergreens, while around its base were set 
baskets of maize, beans and other products of the soil. 
Another exchange of gifts followed. The natives 
presented the chief with a " wedge of silver," and a 
league of perpetual good will was formed. The spirits 
of the prospective colonists were aroused to the highest 
pitch. They naturally called each other " friends and 
brothers." 

About five miles up the St. John's River, on the 
southern bank, is a small hill which is now called St. 
John's Bluff. A tract of land just above this slight 
eminence was chosen as the site for the settlement. It 
was protected at one side by the bluff, on the other by 
a marsh; in front was the river and at the rear was a 
forest. A hymn of thanksgiving was sung, and a prayer 
was offered up for divine protection. Thus was 



54 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Protestant worship celebrated in the New World long 
before the landing of the Pilgrim fathers on the shores 
of Massachusetts Bay. All hands now fell to work with 
a determination in the building of a fort in which the 
aborgines joyfully assisted, so the chronicler informs me. 
Noble volunteer labored side by side with the meanest 
artisan. It was a triangular structure of logs, sand and 
turf, and was named Fort Caroline, after the little French 
King Charles the Ninth. At each angle was a bastion, 
in one of which was a magazine. Within it were erected 
barracks and a large house with covered galleries for the 
commandant and his officers. 

This was the humble beginning of a French Prot- 
estant colony in Florida, which was intended to form 
an asylum for the followers of the new religion in their 
home land, for at this time the struggle between Catholics 
and Huguenots was approaching a crisis in France. It 
was felt that here they might be secure from persecution 
and destruction. Two of the ships were dispatched to 
France for supplies and reinforcements, but they did not 
return for a long time. In the meantime the little colony 
suffered greatly in their fruitless search for gold and 
in conflicts with the Indians. These expeditions led them 
over a large portion of Georgia and South Carolina, as 
well as Florida. Cliques arose and sedition was fast 
springing into life. Hopes of quick wealth and dreams 
of plenty were alike disappearing under the stern 
realities of life in an unsettled and savage land. When 
placed upon decreased rations, many began to inveigh 
against the commander. Had the Huguenots been prac- 
tical pioneers they would have avoided many of their 
privations. But there were no tillers of the soil among 
them. Many were pure adventurers, some were reck- 
less soldiers, while others were discontented tradesmen. 



The Tragedy of the Huguenots 55 

They were not the proper material to build an empire 
across spacious and stormy seas for their country and 
their religion. They did not plant crops to provide 
sustenance for themselves, but trusted to the generosity 
of the Indians. Not a square rod of ground had been 
stirred by the spade, and the Indians were becoming 
hostile. 

In May, Laudonniere himself describes their straits as 
very desperate. " We were constrained to eat roots," 
says he, " which the most part of our men pounded in the 
mortars which I had brought with me to beat gunpowder 
in, and the grain which came from other places. Some 
took the wood of esquine (probably cabbage palmetto) 
beat it and made meal thereof which they boiled and 
ate. Others went with their arquebuses to kill fowl." 
Thus the account continues with pathetic descriptions 
of the weakness and sickness brought on by famine, 
finishing with reciting how the colonists, not being able 
to work, " did nothing but goe one after another, as 
centinals, unto the cliffe of a hill very near unto the 
fort, to see if they might discover any French ship." 
In desperation Laudonniere decided to seize an Indian 
chief because his people would not bring the necessary 
supplies. Those who could bear the weight of armor 
put it on, and embarked to the number of about fifty 
in two barges. Arrived at the village of Outina, they 
disembarked and captured the chief. As a ransom they 
demanded a liberal supply of corn and beans. It was 
finally agreed to release this chief in exchange for two 
other chiefs, so that the former might go back and exhort 
his people. He faithfully endeavored to keep his word, 
but his people were somewhat unruly. They sought to 
capture the French by treachery, while bringing in the 
supplies. The French were warned by the chief, but 



56 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

were so anxious for food that they did not heed it. As 
a result, a conflict arose which is known as the Bat- 
tle of Tagesata. The superior weapons and armors of 
the French served them well, but more than a score 
were killed or wounded, and only a little foqd was se- 
cured. 

It was found impossible to keep the colonists supplied 
with sufficient food to maintain them in good condition 
and cheerful spirits. Because of this mutiny had arisen 
and Laudonniere narrowly escaped assassination. 
While building some boats in which to sail back to 
France, Laudonniere himself beheld a sight which sent 
a thrill through him. A great ship was standing at 
the river's mouth, and others were close behind. They 
proved to belong to Sir John Hawkins, who had thus 
opportunely arrived on his return from a slave expedi- 
tion. This rugged British sailor proved to be a friend 
in need to the French commander. Both hated 
Spaniards and both hated priests. He sold them 
a boat and left many supplies. These supplies included 
" twenty barrels of meal, six pipes of beans, one hogshead 
of salt and a hundred cwt of waxe to make candles. 
Moreover, forasmuch as he saw my soldiers go barefoote 
he offered me besides fifty paires of shoes which I ac- 
cepted. He did more than this : he bestowed upon my- 
self a great jar of oil, a jar of vinegar, a barrel of olives, 
a great quantity of rice and a barrel of white biscuits. 
Besides these he gave divers presents to the principal 
officers of my company according to their quality; so 
that I may say we received as many courtesies of the 
general as was possible to expect of any man." 

Hawkins afterwards wrote of the colony : " Notwith- 
standing the great suffering and want the Frenchmen 
had, the ground doth yield victuals sufficient, if they had 



The Tragedy of the Huguenots 57 

taken the pains to get the same; but they being soldiers 
desired to live by the sweat of other mens brows." Just 
as Laudonniere was prepared to sail homeward, seven 
ships arrived with Admiral Jean Ribaut in command, and 
with him were three hundred colonists. Once more 
everything looked promising for Fort Caroline, and the 
spirits of all arose with the hope of a Protestant New 
France. 

Trouble was not far distant for Fort Caroline. Back 
in benighted Spain, where the monk and the inquisitor 
were the real lords, an expedition was being prepared 
under a royal commission, and with the papal blessing, 
which had been placed under the command of Pedro 
Menendez de Aviles, who was named Adelantado. It 
was a truly formidable undertaking, with a fleet of more 
than a score vessels and a body of twenty-six hundred 
men, including knights, Franciscan and Jesuit priests, and 
negro slaves. In a sense it was a crusade. Spain was 
the citadel of darkness. While day was breaking over 
the rest of Europe, bringing with it light and hope and 
freedom, Spain remained a monastic cell and an in- 
quisitorial dungeon. Heresy was an ulcer that must 
be eradicated from the shores which the Pope had 
granted to Spain. Menendez was one of the ablest and 
most distinguished officers of the Spanish marine, and 
he was descended from an ancient family. He had 
begged for this commission, promising to finance it from 
his own heritage, and the royal permission had been 
graciously extended. " Such grief seizes me," he said, 
" when I behold this multitude of wretched Indians, that 
I should choose the conquest and settling of Florida 
above all commands, offices, and dignities which your 
majesty might bestow." His commission to conquer 
Florida really covered the territory from Mexico to 



58 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Labrador, for this was the Florida of the old Spanish 
geographers. 

The expedition is said to have cost Menendez a million 
ducats. He set sail from Cadiz on the 29th of June, 
1565. Despite a furious tempest, which scattered the 
fleet, calms, and dangerous shoals, about one third the 
fleet, under divine guidance, as related by the official 
chronicler, reached the Florida coast, the rest of the 
transports having been lost or scattered. It was on 
the day sacred to San Agustin, and a Te Deum of praise 
and thanksgiving was sung. Menendez thought now 
that he would soon have an opportunity to crush out 
this new heresy. Sailing north, the lookout one morning 
early in September descried the French ships at anchor 
off the River of May. After some maneuvering for 
strategic positions, the Spanish ships came to anchor. 
The silence was broken by a trumpet from the San 
Pelayo, which was answered by a French trumpet. 

" Whence comes this fleet ? " queried Menendez, with 
much courtesy. 

" From France," was the response. 

" What is it doing here? " 

" Bringing infantry, artillery and supplies for a fort 
which the King of France has in this country, and for 
many more which he will build." 

" And you, are you Catholics, or Lutherans ? " 

" We are Lutherans of the New Religion," cried out 
many voices from among the French. 

Menendez informed them that he had strict instruc- 
tions to behead all Lutherans found on land and sea 
and he further told them that he would board their ships 
at break of day. " If I find there any Catholics they 
shall be spared; but all who are heretics shall die." At 
this high-sounding reply Menendez was interrupted by 



The Tragedy of the Huguenots 59 

jeers and with taunts that it was not necessary to wait un- 
til morning. "If you are a brave man, don't wait till 
day," they said. Provoked to great fury, Menendez 
bore down upon the Trinity, but the French, who were 
ill-prepared to resist, were too quick. They had cut 
the ropes and put straight out to sea. Of this Mendoza, 
the priest-chronicler, wrote : " Those crazy devils are 
such good sailors and maneuvered so well that we could 
not capture a single one of them." Returning at break 
of day, the Spaniards discovered the French at the fort 
drawn up ready to receive them. Not wishing to risk an 
attack, they sailed to the south and entered the River 
of Dolphines and anchored before the village of Seloy. 
On September 8th the town of San Agustin was founded, 
and it was so named because the land had been discov- 
ered on the day sacred to that saint. 

On the loth of September, Menendez and his followers 
were astonished to see French ships coming down upon 
them. Ribaut had decided that boldness was the safest 
policy, and so had taken the offensive into his own hands. 
Helpless because of a calm, it looked as though they were 
lost. The trembling soldiers prostrated themselves upon 
the deck in prayers to Virgin Mary. As if by a miracle, 
says Menendez, a wind arose and enabled the Spanish 
ships to seek shelter. The French boats were driven 
helplessly before the tempestuous wind. With sorrow 
and rage Ribaut was compelled to seek safety for his 
vessels. " God and the Holy Virgin have performed 
another great miracle in our behalf," wrote the pious 
Spaniard. 

With the foresight of a real leader, Menendez now 
foresaw an opportunity to destroy the heretics. In his 
mind's eye he could picture all or the greater part of the 
French ships wrecked upon the breakers of the shore. 



60 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Taking advantage of the opportunity thus afforded, 
Menendez selected several hundred pikemen and arque- 
busiers and marched toward Fort Caroline. For four 
days they threaded the swamps and pursued their way 
through the almost impenetrable thickets with rain cease- 
lessly pouring upon them ; but the indomitable will and 
religious fanaticism of the leader knew no check. It 
was a drenched and bedraggled army that finally reached 
the mouth of the River of May, but it was an impotent 
garrison that they found, men who were almost ex- 
hausted by their ceaseless vigil. Laudonniere was sick, 
and those on guard had relaxed their vigil, never dream- 
ing that the enemy would advance in such frightful 
weather. The rain had been falling in torrents. When 
the fierce shouts of the charging Spaniards broke the 
silence, not a single sentry was on the rampart. A 
trumpeter alone witnessed the onrushing enemy and 
sounded the alarm. Sick men leaped from their beds, 
while women and children darted shrieking from the 
houses. The Spaniards were upon the fort before the 
brave defenders had reached their ports. Many were 
slain in the first onslaught, and the banner of Spain soon 
floated from Fort Caroline. 

" Slay, and spare not " was the Spanish leader's cry. 
A few escaped and a few were spared. Six returned and 
surrendered only to be hewed down immediately with 
swords and halberds. The few who remained away 
reached two boats that had been left and escaped to 
France; among these was Laudonniere. About one 
hundred and forty-two were slain, and about fifty women 
and children were captured. The women and children 
were spared only to become slaves and servants to the 
conquerors. Menendez wept with emotion as he offered 
thanks to the Almighty for the favors he had received. 



The Tragedy of the Huguenots 61 

" Are there any among ye," said Menendez to the 
captured men, " who profess the faith of the Holy 
Cathohc Church? " 

Two of the prisoners answered in the afifirmative. He 
turned them over to Father Salvandi, ordering their 
bonds to be removed. Continuing, he said to the rest; 
" Are there any among ye, who seeing the error of their 
ways, will renounce the heresy of Luther and come into 
the fold of the only true church? Hear ye — and now 
say. Do you not comprehend that your lives rest upon 
your speech? Either ye embrace the safety that the 
church ofifers or ye die by the halter." 

A dead silence followed. The captives looked mourn- 
fully at each other and at the Adelantado. But in his 
set cruel countenance there was no sign of mercy. Then 
one sturdy soldier took a step in front of his fellows 
and, lifting his face proudly, said, " Pedro de Menendez, 
we are in your power. You are master of our fort 
and our mortal bodies, but in the face of the death 
you threaten we say we cannot recant our faith in the 
true church of Christ. We have naught to do with 
Rome. As we have lived in our Lord's teachings we will 
die fathful to them. We ask your mercy on honorable 
terms only. We cannot take the terms you offer." The 
cries of the women arose, as they embraced their hus- 
bands and fathers. Two hours later the men were hung, 
and the following inscription in large characters erected : 
" I do this not as to Frenchmen, but as to Lutherans." 
Considerable booty fell to the Spaniards, but they re- 
joiced most over the fact that they had rid the world of 
many heretics. The name of the fort was changed to 
San Mateo. 

Ribaut and his men fought against the storm for many 
hours, but all of his boats were finally driven ashore, and 



62 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

his followers separated. Unable to launch them again, 
he headed his command toward Fort Caroline, not know- 
ing its unfortunate fate. They had reached Matanzas 
Inlet, but could not proceed farther. Menendez had 
turned back to St. Augustine for fear that the French 
commander might have attacked it. On the day follow- 
ing his return, while the weary Adelantado was enjoying 
a siesta, an Indian runner brought word that some white 
men were a short distance below. They proved, as 
Menendez surmised, to be a part of Ribaut's command 
that had been shipwrecked. Menendez immediately 
started after them with a picked company. After a brief 
parley, the French, who were indeed a weary and forlorn 
body of men, were marched unsuspectingly into the 
Spanish camp. It is difficult to conceive how well men, 
with arms and able to bear them would surrender, but 
they were utterly broken in spirit. They were informed 
of the fate of Fort Caroline. Although Menendez did 
not promise a safe conduct in so many words, he did say: 
"If you will give up your arms and banners, and place 
yourself at my mercy, you may do so, and I will act 
toward you as God shall give me grace." Such pious 
words might well mislead honest men. 

Menendez greeted the French with courtesy on his 
lips, but murder was in his heart. Pleading that his own 
men were few in number and so inferior to the French, 
he said it would be necessary to march them to his camp, 
four leagues distant, with hands tied. The hands of the 
prisoners were bound as they came into the Spanish camp. 
In small bodies they were marched over a little hill in 
this way and brutally murdered. Each squad as it ap- 
proached was stabbed from behind. Neither prayers nor 
groans nor entreaties, nor the crimson streams of blood, 
turned the brutal monsters from their work of murder. 



The Tragedy of the Huguenots 63 

After the last heretic, in all a couple of hundred, had been 
stabbed, Menendez and his band of butchers marched 
back to San Agustin in triumph. A dozen Breton 
sailors, who professed to be Catholics, and four car- 
penters and caulkers, of whom he was in need, were 
the only ones spared. 

The end of the chapter of cruelty has not yet been 
reached. Scarcely had their weapons been cleaned of 
gore when, on the following day, another body of ship- 
wrecked men was reported. Once more the Spanish 
admiral with a picked body of men set forth. This time 
it was Admiral Jean Ribaut himself, with about three 
hundred men. A parley occurred when the forces ap- 
proached. Menendez requested Ribaut, who had drawn 
up his men in battle array, to cross the inlet which 
separated the two forces, with eight gentlemen, pledging 
his word for their safety. He met them courteously, 
gave them food and treated them royally, urging them 
to unconditional surrender. He also showed them the 
corpses of his slaughtered followers. Ribaut asked aid 
of the Spanish commander to enable him to reach France. 
A ransom of one hundred thousand ducats was offered. 
Pretending to accept this, Menendez directed Ribaut to 
bring his men across. 

One of the French leaders, D'Erlach, had his suspi- 
cions aroused and refused to surrender, but Ribaut 
seemed to feel that the fates were against him and hoped 
for the best. It was indeed a sad parting between the 
two bands, for each believed that the other was proceed- 
ing to certain death. One hundred and fifty thus came 
across, but the rest, almost an equal number, scented 
treachery and had retreated. Ribaut was led among the 
bushes, with his hands securely fastened. He then knew 
that he had been trapped. The Spaniards closed around 



64 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

their victims, but they were first given an opportunity 
to recant. " Are you CathoHcs or Lutherans ? And is 
there any one among you who will go to confession?" 
was asked. " I and all here are of the Reformed Faith," 
was the answer of the French leader. Upon this answer 
of Ribaut, another slaughter occurred. Five only were 
spared. Ribaut himself began to repeat the psalm 
Domine memento mei, and marched unflinchingly to his 
fate, saying : " From earth we come, to the earth we 
must return! Soon or late, it is the same final end 
that comes to all." Menendez again returned to San 
Agustin, fully satisfied that he had performed his re- 
ligious duty. He dispatched a glowing account of his 
success to the King of Spain, and from there the news 
reached France. 

Some three weeks after the last massacre some Indians 
reported that a great number of Frenchmen were in- 
trenching themselves near Cape Canaveral. These were 
the members of Ribaut's party who had refused to sur- 
render. With a force of two hundred and fifty men 
Menendez set forth after them. When the poor French- 
men saw the approaching Spaniards, they fled in panic. 
Menendez sent a trumpeter to summon them to surrender, 
pledging his honor for their safety. Many announced 
that they would sooner be eaten by the savages than sur- 
render to the Spaniards, and they fled to the Indian 
towns. The rest surrendered, and Menendez actually 
kept his word. Their lives at least were spared, and 
some were induced to recant through the judicious offices 
of the Inquisition. 

A cry of horror and execration arose from the Hugue- 
nots, when the news of the fate of Fort Caroline reached 
France. It even found an echo among the Catholics. 
But the meek and bigoted son of Catherine de Medicis, 



The Tragedy of the Huguenots 65 

afterwards responsible for the St. Bartholomew massacre, 
gave no response to the cry for punishment. 

But the brutal murder of the French was not to go 
unavenged. The avenger is Dominique de Gourges, a 
soldier of fortune, and at one time a Spanish galley slave. 
He felt that the honor of France had been foully stained. 
Failing to arouse the French government, he sold his own 
inheritance and fitted out an expedition. Gathering to- 
gether a picked body of men, whom he embarked on three 
small galleys, he sailed with a commission to kidnap slaves 
on the coast of Africa. His true design was locked up 
within his own breast. When safely out at sea, he re- 
hearsed the atrocious cruelties of the Spaniards to the 
Huguenots, and outlined his scheme of revenge. The ex- 
citable French nature was kindled, and his followers 
warmly endorsed the project. Their enthusiasm was 
aroused to the highest pitch. 

De Gourges landed at the mouth of a river about fifteen 
leagues north of the River of May. Finding a body of 
natives drawn up with hostile intent, a trumpeter, who 
had escaped from Fort Caroline, was set ashore and was 
quickly recognized by the Indians. When the Indians 
discovered that the strangers were French their hostility 
was changed to welcome. It was found that the Indians 
had their own story of wrongs at the hands of the Span- 
iards. Since the Spanish came, said the chief, they had 
not seen a happy day. A French boy who had escaped 
the slaughter was found with them, and he proved an 
excellent aid as an interpreter. The Indians expressed 
their wiUingness to join in an attack upon the Spaniards. 
The French landed their weapons and supplies, and the 
Indians went through their customary ceremonies pre- 
ceding a warlike expedition. Then the French and In- 
dians took up their march together against the common 



6G Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

enemy. Only a score of men were left behind to guard 
the ship. 

The white and red allies found several hundred Span- 
iards strongly entrenched at Fort San Mateo (formerly 
Caroline) and two smaller forts. As the tide was in it 
was necessary to wait several hours before the crossing 
of the river could be effected. The French leader could 
scarcely restrain his impatience. Each man tied his 
powder flask to his steel helmet and held his arquebus 
above his head as he waded through the waters. The 
sharp shells of the oysters cut their feet, and they emerged 
from the water lacerated and bleeding. Upon approach- 
ing one of the smaller forts, a cannon ball was fired at the 
French. At that the chief Olotaraca bounded upon the 
platform, scaled the rampart and ran the gunner through 
with his spike. French and Indians followed the im- 
petuous brave with a rush, and the fort was quickly taken. 
All but fifteen of the garrison were put to the sword. 
The garrison of the second fort fled after an impetuous 
assault and sought escape, but there was no escape. As 
in the other instance, fifteen were reserved. Then an 
attack was made upon San Mateo, but a welcome awaited 
them there. They beset this fortress until not a soldier 
dared to venture forth. 

When the allies retired for a time into the surrounding 
forest, a force of three score were sent out by the com- 
mandant to discover the number and valor of the enemy. 
Forty-five of these were quickly dispatched. Then the 
rest of the garrison grew panicky and fled into the woods 
most remote from the French. Their very terror multi- 
plied the numbers of the enemy. But it was too late, for 
the Frenchmen and Indians kept up the slaughter until 
not a Spaniard remained, excepting these reserved. Of 
these, the chronicler of the expedition says : " The rest 



The Tragedy of the Huguenots 67 

of the Spaniards being led away prisoners with the others, 
after that the General had showed them the wrong which 
they had done without occasion to all the French Nation, 
were all hanged on the same boughs of the same trees 
whereon the French hung, of which number five had been 
hanged by one Spaniard, which now perceiving himself 
in hke miserable estate, confessed his fault and the just 
judgment which God had brought upon him. But instead 
of the writing which Peter Menendez had hanged over 
them, importing these words in Spanish, * I do not this 
as unto Frenchmen, but as unto Lutherans,' Gourges 
caused to be imprinted with a searing iron on a table of 
firewood, ' I do not this as unto Spaniards, not as unto 
Mariners, but as unto Traitors, Robbers, and Mur- 
therers ! ' " 

His mission accomplished, Gourges sailed back for 
France, as the Spaniards at San Agustin were in too 
great force. It was on the 3rd of May, 1568, that he set 
sail for his native land, well satisfied with the success of 
his exploit, for his losses had been insignificant. His had 
been a whirlwind visitation, and he bid farewell to his 
disconsolate allies with genuine sorrow. 



CHAPTER V 

UNDER FOUR FLAGS 

A LARGE part of the history of Florida, after the ter- 
rible reprisal inflicted by De Gourges for the frightful 
massacre of the Huguenots, presents but little more than 
a chronicle of the changes of governor and petty details 
of local affairs. Although the fertile valley of the 
Mississippi and the productive region of Southeastern 
United States awaited them, no colonies were planted and 
no towns founded by the Spaniards in this magnificent 
domain. After a hundred years of nominal domination, 
the total results were three small fortified towns in the 
province and a few scattered missions. It is quite prob- 
able that a century after the initial settlement of St. 
Augustine the Spaniards actually knew less about the 
country than did Menendez within a decade succeeding 
his arrival here. 

Menendez started on his return to Florida on the 17th 
of March, 1568, and arrived there a short time after the 
departure of the French avenger. He had been honored 
with the appointment as governor of Cuba, as well as of 
Florida. It must indeed have been a painful blow to him 
to discover what had happened to his colony during his 
absence. How his vainglorious spirit must have chafed 
with impotent rage to think that an insignificant force 
could have administered so deadly a punishment upon his 
cherished colony. The garrison had been utterly de- 
moralized and was suffering from an insufficiency of both 
food and clothing. The Indians had been aroused to 



Under Four Flags 69 

hostility, so that he found ample occupation in restoring 
order and reestablishing the Spanish posts. 

Menendez was intensely interested in the missionary 
operations among the Indians, and devoted himself with 
commendable zeal to this work. The results were not 
promising for, after the zealous labors of four of the 
fathers in one locality for an entire year, they succeeded 
in baptizing only seven persons. Three of the converts 
were children, and the others were at the point of death. 
The Indians asked many questions, but as soon as presents 
of food ceased, their zeal immediately abated. Notwith- 
standing this apparent failure, missions were extended 
over a very large region. An attempt was even made to 
establish a mission on the shores of the Chesapeake, which 
was then called the province of Axiocan. The governor 
had been accompanied on his return by an Indian who 
had been carried to Spain and there educated in the 
Roman Catholic faith. This Indian proposed to guide a 
band of missionaries to a native tribe of which his brother 
was the cacique. An expedition consisting of a half- 
dozen priests and several junior brothers of the Order 
of St. Francis sailed to Chesapeake Bay, but the Indian 
proved treacherous and the entire party were murdered 
with the exception of one junior brother, Who succeeded 
in escaping. In the following year Menendez conducted 
a retaliatory expedition into the same country, which suc- 
ceeded in executing a number of those who participated 
in this treacherous act. 

Had it not been for the personal exertions of Menen- 
dez, and his contagious enthusiasm, Florida might have 
been deserted by the Spaniards. As it was, the colony 
greatly languished. The primary reason was that the 
rich rewards which had been anticipated had not fol- 
lowed : no gold had been discovered, which was the prin- 



70 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

cipal purpose of all the Spanish conquistadores. Menen- 
dez finally returned to Spain, where he was greatly 
honored and became one of the royal counselors. He 
contracted a fever from which he died on the eve of as- 
suming command of a powerful Spanish armada. Had 
it not been for his religious bigotry, the natural talents 
of Menendez might have brought him great honor and 
distinction. 

Although a colony was not founded, the settlement at 
St. Augustine progressed very slowly. In 1586, Sir 
Francis Drake, the English freebooter and arch enemy 
of Spain, sailed along these shores in returning from an 
expedition, and landed near the entrance to the harbor of 
St. Augustine. Two small cannon were taken ashore and 
set up at the nearest point. Two shots were fired, the 
first of which passed through the royal standard of Spain 
waving from the fort, and the second struck the ram- 
parts. As it was late in the afternoon, offensive opera- 
tions were suspended by the English for the day. During 
the evening a few shots were discharged from the fort at 
reconnoitering parties, but, at the same time, the Spanish 
garrison of one hundred and fifty were evacuating the 
fort, believing that a strong English force was about to 
attack them. A French fifer who had been with the 
Spaniards deserted them and approached the English 
forces in a canoe, playing a familiar English air. The 
boats were immediately manned and approached the for- 
tress. Two shots were fired at them by some soldiers 
still left, but they found the place absolutely uninhabited. 
The Spaniards had left in such haste that the treasure 
chest, containing two thousand pounds sterling, fell into 
Drake's hands. They found the fort to be a primitive 
structure consisting of the trunks of pine trees upraised 
as palisades, and without a ditch. Upon their arriving at 




SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. 



Under Pour Flags 71 

the town all of the inhabitants fled after only a slight 
resistance. Because an English officer was shot at from 
ambush the English pillaged and then burned the settle- 
ment. 

After the departure of Sir Francis the Spanish gov- 
ernor returned to St. Augustine and began the work of 
rebuilding the town. A dozen friars were forwarded to 
Florida to continue the missions among the natives, and 
they were distributed at different points along the coast. 
For five years they labored patiently and without serious 
opposition, when a general conspiracy suddenly arose 
against them. In the suburbs of St. Augustine at this 
time there were two Indian villages, which were called 
respectively Tolomato and Topiqui. The priest stationed 
at each of these villages was murdered by the aborigines; 
one of them, Father Rodriguez, begging the privilege of 
celebrating the mass before being put to death. This 
request was granted, and the Indians then butchered him 
at the foot of the altar. The priests at the Indian town 
of Assopo, on the island of Guale, and Asao were de- 
spatched. One priest escaped after horrible mutilations. 
After he had been bound and fire heaped around him, and 
the torch ready to be applied, an Indian woman begged 
that he be given to her so that she might exchange him 
for her son, who was held captive by the Spaniards. A 
vigorous assault was made on the island of San Pedro, 
but the savages were repulsed by a friendly chief. Five 
priests perished in this uprising against the Spaniards. 
As an exemplary punishment for these acts the Spanish 
governor burned the villages and the granaries wherever 
he was able. 

Disasters such as the above did not discontinue the 
work of mission propaganda. A few years later there 
arrived a fresh influx of priests by whom a score of mis- 



72 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

sions were established in the principal Indian villages, 
and some of the missionaries achieved considerable 
success. A book, called " La Doctrina Cristina," was 
printed in the Tiniugua language, which is said 
to have been the earliest work printed in the 
language of the North American aborigines. A 
war broke out between the Spanish colonists and 
Apalache Indians, in the year 1638. As a result a 
considerable number of Indians were captured and im- 
pressed into work on the fortifications of St. Augustine, 
where they and their descendants were employed for sixty 
years. St. Augustine remained the principal town in 
Florida, but its progress was almost imperceptible. In 
1647 there was great rejoicing because the number of 
house-holders had reached three hundred. About this 
time the succession of the family of Menendez to the 
governorship of Florida ended, with Hernan de Alas as 
the last representative. 

It should be remembered that the settlement of Vir- 
ginia was not initiated until 1607, so that for a long time 
no difficulties occurred between the Spanish and English 
colonies because of their wide separation. With the 
granting of the charter of Carolina, in 1663, however, the 
situation changed, and the hostile feeling quickly de- 
veloped which lasted for a century and more. This was 
the period of buccaneers and sea rovers, who sailed over 
the Seven Seas preying upon Spanish commerce. One of 
these expeditions, in charge of Captain John Davis, de- 
scended upon St. Augustine in 1665, with some seven 
small vessels, and pillaged the town. The garrison did 
not resist the attack but fled precipitately upon the enemy's 
appearance. The Spaniards loudly complained about the 
English pirates, while the Carolina settlers justly alleged 
that the Spanish authorities incited the Indians to hostile 



Under Four Flags 73 

acts and caused their slaves to leave. The Spaniards 
despatched a force against the English colonists on the 
Ashley River, but it was unsuccessful. A small naval 
expedition was also sent out against a Scotch settlement, 
on Port Royal Island, which burned the houses and plun- 
dered the settlers. It was accompanied by all the cruelties 
of savage warfare, and the greatest indignation was 
aroused. When the Spanish governor, in the year 1661, 
attempted to remove some of the Indian tribes, an insur- 
rection arose during which many of the Spaniards and 
some of the Christian Indians were slain. 

The spirit of enterprise and discovery seemed to have 
perished in Spain, but in virile France it was very much 
alive. France had recently appropriated the expansive 
valley of the Mississippi through the discoveries of La 
Salic and other voyagers. This success kindled the jeal- 
ousy of Spain and aroused her to the latent possibilities 
of the Gulf Coast, which she already claimed by right of 
discovery. As a result, in the year 1696, a Spanish 
colony was planted on that coast, which was called 
Pensacola. A fort was built, a church established and a 
few public buildings constructed. Andres de Arriola 
was named the initial governor of this new province. 
Within two years there were three hundred Spaniards at 
Pensacola and in the forts. The French planted a small 
colony on the shores of Mobile Bay, a couple of years 
later. Over the interior of Florida the Indians still 
roamed practically undisturbed, and there was no settle- 
ment on the Atlantic Coast, excepting at St. Augustine. 
The record of more than a century of Spanish domina- 
tion of the peninsula was barren and almost fruitless. 

The friction between Spanish and English colonists 
increased from year to year, as the English colonies grew 
in numbers and strength. Each besought the aid of 



74 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Indian tribes. Friendship for the one partisan was 
looked upon as certain hostiHty toward the other. Near 
the close of the seventeenth century Carolina was gov- 
erned by an ambitious but rather unscrupulous governor, 
by the name of Moore, who was desirous of augmenting 
his reputation by some distinct enterprise. He induced 
the Assembly to authorize an expedition against St. 
Augustine, which he averred could be easily reduced. He 
also claimed that treasures of gold and silver would be 
their reward. As many slaves had fled to Florida, this 
was not difficult to do, for the colonists were anxious to 
recover their human property. Some six hundred provin- 
cial militia and an equal number of friendly Indians ren- 
dezvoused at Port Royal, in September, 1702. It was 
planned to conduct the expedition both by land and sea, 
making a combined attack upon the Spanish provincial 
capital. News of the impending raid reached the Span- 
iards and they prepared to defend themselves, gathering 
in provisions for a lengthened siege. 

The land expedition under Colonel Daniel reached St. 
Augustine ahead of the naval contingent, and gained pos- 
session of the town, the soldiers and civil inhabitants hav- 
ing fled to the fort. Governor Moore safely arrived with 
the vessels, but, on account of the lack of heavy guns, was 
unable to make any impression upon the fort or castle. 
Colonel Daniel was sent to Jamaica to procure heavier 
artillery. Before he returned, however, and because of 
the approach of a couple of Spanish vessels. Governor 
Moore raised the siege but burned the town. He de- 
parted in such haste that he was compelled to destroy 
much of his own stores and munitions. When Colonel 
Daniel arrived with the guns he narrowly escaped cap- 
ture because of ignorance of the turn that events had 
taken. Not a man was lost in the expedition, so the re- 



Under Four Flags 75 

port was made. But it had cost South Carolina some six 
thousand pounds, which forced the issue of the first 
paper money ever circulated in America. After having 
been kept penned up in the castle for three months, the 
inhabitants of St. Augustine emerged only to find their 
homes destroyed and themselves without shelter. Urgent 
appeals were sent to Spain for help and for increased 
forces of soldiers as a protection against further attacks. 
In the following year Governor Moore organized another 
expedition against the Indians in alliance with Spain, who 
were living in Northern Florida. His force consisted of 
about fifty colonial militia and a thousand Creek Indians. 
He found several of the Indian towns fortified and some 
Spanish soldiers with them. The expedition was emi- 
nently successful. All of the towns, excepting only one, 
were destroyed, and many of the Indians were carried 
away to be held as slaves. Everything of value, includ- 
ing the church plate and sacred vestments of the priests, 
was plundered and carried back. The Indian missions 
were practically wiped out of existence by this act of 
vandalism. 

The great war, which was now waged between Great 
Britain on one side, and France and Spain on the other, 
finally reached the New World. In the year 1706, an 
expedition was projected by the French and Spanish upon 
Carolina. This was repelled by the governor with very 
slight loss, and he eventually captured one frigate loaded 
with a large number of the allies. An excursion was 
made into upper Florida in retaliation, which returned 
with a number of captives and escaped slaves. In 1714 
a general outbreak of the Indian tribes in Carolina arose 
through the instigation of the Spaniards. It is claimed 
that the Indians removed their women and children to 
Florida before beginning their attacks. When defeated 



76 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

they fled to St. Augustine, where they were welcomed 
" with bells ringing and guns firing." At least four hun- 
dred South Caro^nians lost their lives in this outbreak. 

Friction also arose in the west between the settlements 
at Pensacola and the French colony a little farther along 
the coast. Each charged the other with encroachments 
upon their territory. France had carefully fortified her 
colonies, paternally looking after all their needs, even to 
the supplying of wives. As a result her possessions on 
the Gulf Coast had become prosperous. Mobile and 
Pensacola were too near not to have some collisions. At 
this time the Spanish governor of Pensacola was greatly 
disturbed and advised the strengthening of the fortifica- 
tions of his capital. St. Mark's Fort was then erected 
and garrisoned by Spain. The French erected a small 
fortification at St. Joseph's Bay, against which the Span- 
ish governor remonstrated. The fort was soon evacu- 
ated by the French and a Spanish fortress constructed 
at the same place, which was kept for a time. 

When hostilities arose between France and Spain, the 
French commander at Mobile fitted out an expedition 
against Pensacola by sea, and sent a large force of Indian 
allies by land. He captured a small garrison on the 
island of Santa Rosa. A few soldiers put on the Spanish 
uniforms and overtook a detachment on its way to relieve 
the post. Still disguised, they passed over to the fort 
and secured possession of it without firing a shot. The 
commander was made a prisoner in his bed. Operations 
were then begun against the Castle de San Carlos, which 
also capitulated after a few hours upon terms very favor- 
able to the Spaniards. The captors agreed to transport 
them to Havana, and promised not to destroy private 
property. While taking the Spaniards to the Cuban capi- 
tal the two small vessels were seized and their crews made 



Under Four Flags 77 



prisoners. A Spanish expedition was immediately de- 
spatched against Pensacola, which was defended by a 
force of some sixty men, under De Bienville, and it was 
easily recaptured. The Spaniards also adopted a ruse. 
A captured French vessel sailed into the port, flying the 
flag of France. After passing the fort the Spanish ban- 
ner was hoisted and, being joined by the other vessel, sur- 
render was demanded. Some cannonading ensued when 
an armistice for five days was granted, after which the 
French commander surrendered. 

The French and the Spanish accounts of all these events 
greatly differ. The French were sent to the Cuban capi- 
tal as prisoners. The Spanish commander immediately 
instituted the work of strengthening the defense for the 
attack which he felt sure would follow. He was not kept 
in suspense long. A French force appeared against this 
town in September, 17 19, and it was compelled to sur- 
render to the French a second time. Great difficulty 
arose in getting the largest ship over the bar. The 
French say that its resistance was very feeble, except in 
Fort Principe de Asturias, while the Spanish accounts al- 
lege that the troops fought bravely until their guns were 
dismounted. The surrender took place on the i8th of 
September. The French fleet sailed for France carrying 
with them the entire Spanish garrison as prisoners of 
war. Thus it was that within three months Pensacola 
was thrice assaulted and thrice captured. The entire 
town was now laid waste, and it was not disturbed for a 
considerable period. There was no longer anything to 
capture, and nothing to defend. To protect the English 
settlements against attack by the Yemassees, the English 
had erected a small fort, called Fort King George, on the 
banks of the Altamaha. Claiming this to be an encroach- 
ment, a conference was arranged at Charleston between 



78 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

the English and Spanish governors. The Spanish offi- 
cial could not sustain his contentions. When accused of 
harboring criminals, debtors and slaves, he agreed to re- 
turn them all but the slaves. He said that the Spanish 
crown was interested in the souls of the black men, but 
would make compensation. 

With the settlement of the new colony of Georgia, in 
1732, the strength of the English was greatly increased, 
and their establishment brought much disturbance to the 
Florida officials. A settlement of Scotch Highlanders 
was organized on the banks of the Altamaha. The 
Spanish government sent a commissioner to Governor 
Oglethorpe, requesting him to surrender and evacuate all 
the territory south of St. Helen's Sound. This demand 
was promptly declined. Fearing an attack by the Span- 
iards, Oglethorpe decided to anticipate their action, and 
proceeded to put his province in a state of defense. War 
was declared by Great Britain against Spain in 1739, and 
an English squadron was sent to cooperate with General 
Oglethorpe against Florida. An expedition was at once 
set on foot against St. Augustine, and assistance secured 
from Carolina. The expedition was not ready to march 
until April, 1740, and in the meantime the Spanish com- 
mander had greatly strengthened his defenses. It is said 
that there were enough escaped slaves to form an entire 
regiment. Several small forts had been located north 
and west of the Spanish capital. 

Oglethorpe proceeded with great energy in his cam- 
paign. Indian allies were secured and he had the co- 
operation of several naval vessels. It was almost a 
month before the land force reached the mouth of the St. 
John's River. They marched to Fort Moosa, about two 
miles north of St. Augustine, which was generally known 
as the " negro fort." This had been built to protect 



Under Four Flags 79 

negro slaves from Indians. They found it deserted and 
destroyed the buildings to prevent its reoccupation. A 
little later Colonel Palmer and a small force of Highland- 
ers, together with some infantry and Indians, were sent 
to hold it. Considerable delay occurred over the non- 
arrival of some of the force. The English opened fire 
upon the town and fort from three batteries, which they 
had erected on Anastasia Island, on the 24th of June. 
The three batteries numbered some thirty-four mortars 
and guns. A Spanish force of three hundred men cap- 
tured Fort Moosa, which was insufficiently garrisoned. 
It was also weakened because friction had arisen between 
the commanders. Colonel Palmer himself was killed. 
The English forces were unprepared, and had made no 
preparations for a successful resistance. When General 
Oglethorpe summoned the Spanish garrison to surrender, 
the Spanish governor " swore by the holy cross that he 
would defend the castle to the last drop of his blood and 
hoped soon to kiss his excellencie's hand within its walls." 
The English batteries continued to play upon the town 
and fort, but with indifferent success, because of the re- 
stricted range of the guns and their poor handling. It 
was found impossible to make any impression upon the 
stone walls. The balls would penetrate the stone about 
to their own depth, but could make no fracture. Ogle- 
thorpe, knowing that the Spaniards were short of pro- 
visions, carefully guarded the main entrance to the town 
and fort. Not being familiar with the neighborhood, 
however, he neglected to block the port at Mosquito Inlet 
some sixty miles south, so that provisions were received 
from there. As many of the men were sick, and the fleet 
had been withdrawn for fear of tropical storms, it was 
now decided to abandon the enterprise for the present. 
Most of the guns were dismantled on the 6th of July and 



80 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

placed on board the ships. The loss had not been great, 
but the expedition was a failure. This caused great dis- 
satisfaction in Carolina and Georgia, and the disputes 
were never settled satisfactorily. The season of the year 
probably had a great deal to do with the failure. The 
fort at St. Augustine had suffered no material injury, as 
its walls attest to this day, after a lapse of a century and a 
half. 

The Spanish commander beseeched his home govern- 
ment for reinforcements, for he expected a renewal of the 
attack. Eight companies of infantry were sent him from 
Cuba. As the expected attack did not come, he advised 
the invasion of South Carolina and Georgia. A rather 
formidable expedition was prepared which proceeded 
along the Atlantic coast. The Spaniards were landed 
and began a march against the English settlements. 
Oglethorpe resisted them energetically and successfully. 
After several encounters the Spanish commander reem- 
barked his troops and returned to Cuba, greatly chagrined 
at his failure. In March, 1743, General Oglethorpe made 
a sudden descent upon Florida and marched to the very 
gates of St. Augustine. Here he fought a battle, while 
his Indian allies advanced and captured some forty Span- 
ish troops under the very walls of the fort. The Span- 
iards refused to fight and Oglethorpe retired. A treaty 
was finally concluded between Great Britain and Spain, 
in the year 1748, which caused a cessation of hostilities 
between the rival colonies. When war was again re- 
newed between Spain and Great Britain, in 1762, Havana 
fell into the hands of the English. By this action St. 
Augustine was isolated, and its source of supplies cut off. 
As England had long desired to complete her American 
boundaries by the acquisition of Florida, a treaty was 
entered into by which the provinces of East and West 




THE CITY GATES, ST. AUGUSTINE. 



Under Four Flags 81 

Florida were ceded to Great Britain, and Cuba once more 
placed under the banner of Spain. 

The transfer of the sovereignty of Florida from Spain 
to England was exceedingly distasteful to the Spanish 
population of the province. In addition to the natural 
animosity aroused by the long course of hostility and 
friction between the colonies, there was the religious 
prejudice, for all the Spanish population were adherents 
of the Roman Catholic faith. It had been provided, how- 
ever, in one of the articles of the treaty between the two 
nations, that the people should be left free to worship the 
Almighty in their own way, and " that his Britannic 
Majesty will, in consequence, give the most exacting and 
the most effectual orders that his Roman Catholic subjects 
may profess the worship of their religion according to the 
rights of the Roman Church, so far as the laws of Great 
Britain permit." These guarantees, in their liberty and 
toleration, were far in advance of the practices of Spain 
under similar circumstances, but the ignorant and bigoted 
Spanish could not reconcile themselves to living under 
heretical rule. It was also provided that those who 
wished to do so could leave the country with perfect free- 
dom and most of them embraced the opportunity to do so. 

On the 7th of October, 1763, the King of Great Britain 
announced the division of Florida into two distinct and 
separate governments. East Florida extended west to 
the Gulf of Mexico and the Apalachicola River; to the 
north it was bounded by a line drawn from that part of 
said river, where the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers meet, 
to the source of the St. Mary's River, and then by the 
course of that river to the Atlantic Ocean. It was also to 
include all islands within six leagues of the coast. West 
Florida extended from the western line of East Florida 
to Lake Ponchartrain and the Mississippi River, and 



82 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

north to the thirty-first degree of north latitude. It also 
included all islands within six leagues of the coast. It 
will thus be seen that Florida at this time embraced all of 
the coast of Alabama and Mississippi and a part of that 
of Louisiana. It was provided that, as soon as possible, 
the governors of the two colonies should summon general 
assemblies in the usual form provided for colonial gov- 
ernments. The governors, with the consent of the coun- 
cils and representatives of the people, were authorized to 
promulgate the laws for the general welfare and good 
government in accordance with the general restrictions of 
the English law. Until such assemblies were established 
the governors were authorized to establish courts in their 
respective jurisdictions. 

This was the first time in the history of Florida that 
anything approaching representative government had been 
authorized or even permitted. This broad policy ac- 
counts for the different degrees of success attending the 
efforts of the two respective governments in their efforts 
at colonization. Spain had always treated her colonial 
subjects as being incapable of self-government, and had 
gathered around her fortified posts a crowd of parasites 
and dependents. No voice was allowed them even in 
local affairs. The English government authorized the 
governors to grant free lands to the reduced officers and 
private soldiers who had served in America, and who 
should personally make application for such claims. 
These grants ranged from five thousand acres for a field 
officer to fifty acres for a private soldier. After ten 
years rent was to be charged at the same rate as other 
lands of the same character. Most of the official Spanish 
employees withdrew at once to the West Indies or New 
Mexico. It is claimed that not more than five Spaniards 
remained in the neighborhood of St. Augustine. Only a 



Under Four Flags 83 

few stayed in Pensacola and Mobile. Had it not been for 
the efforts of the commanding officers, the Spaniards 
would have utterly destroyed every house and building in 
St. Augustine. As it was, the governor ruined his beau- 
tiful garden. 

General James Grant was appointed the jfirst governor 
of East Florida, and he immediately began to develop the 
resources of the province. Through his efforts attention 
was drawn to Florida and immigration began. Splendid 
roads were constructed, some of which are still in use, 
and are known as the " king's roads." Among these was 
a road from Fort Barrington, on the St. Mary's, to St. 
Augustine, which was built by private subscription. 
Pamphlets setting forth the attractions of Florida were 
circulated in England, and bounties were offered for the 
production of naval stores, indigo, etc. A considerable 
number of settlers were induced to come from other 
English colonies and from their homes in the British 
Isles. Some forty families migrated from Bermuda in 
1776 and settled at the Mosquito Inlet, to engage in the 
work of building ships, for which the timber there seemed 
well adapted. The most noted settlement project was 
that headed by Dr. Andrew Turnbull, a Scotch gentleman. 
During the eight years of the judicious rule of Governor 
Grant East Florida received a large accession to its popu- 
lation, among them being some notable personages. Sev- 
eral of the English nobility were recipients of extensive 
grants, with the condition attached that settlement and 
development should be made. A Mr. Oswald established 
a plantation on the Halifax River, which is still known 
as Mount Oswald. A Mr. Rolle received a grant of forty 
thousand acres and embarked for Florida with a hundred 
families. He landed near the mouth of the St. John's 
and settled on the east side of the river. The place was 



84 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

called Pilatka. It was finally abandoned and most of 
the colony removed to Carolina. 

The same spirit of progress permeated West Florida. 
The English began to rebuild Pensacola, and it was 
selected as the capital of this province. A large garrison 
was stationed there, for the accommodation of which ex- 
tensive barracks were constructed. This made it a place 
of considerable importance. West Florida did not in- 
crease so rapidly as East Florida, because it was more 
remote from the home land and the other American set- 
tlements. There seems to have been the average amount 
of provincial intrigue and petty politics, for we find that 
the annals of this province which have descended to us 
are filled with discussions and backbitings and jealousies. 
In this respect it did not differ from other pioneer settle- 
ments. Many grants of land were likewise made in this 
province under regulations which had been established by 
the crown, most of which were along the rivers. 

The acquisition of Florida by England was too recent 
for the growth of revolutionary sentiment there at the 
time it was overspreading the colonies farther north. 
Thus we find that upon receipt of the news of the Declara- 
tion of Independence effigies of John Adams and John 
Hancock were burned in the public square of St. Augus- 
tine, on the very spot where the monument now stands. 
A British vessel, called the Betsey, with one hundred and 
eleven barrels of powder on board, was captured in St. 
Augustine in August, 1775, *by an American privateer. 
In order to avenge this insult the governor immediately 
ordered an expedition to proceed against the frontier set- 
tlements in Georgia. This force was composed of In- 
dians and irregular troops. He wanted to prevent any 
more infatuated men from joining their " traitorous 
neighbors," from which one might gather the inference 



Under Four Flags 85 

that some Floridians had joined the Colonials. When 
active hostilities were begun between the colonies and 
Great Britain East Florida began to assume increased im- 
portance as a base of operations against the revolutionists. 
The militia were called out to join with the royal troops 
in resisting the colonists, while many " Tories " fled from 
Georgia and Carolina to Florida and joined these troops. 
It is said that during the year 1778 nearly seven thousand 
of these loyalists moved into Florida from Georgia and 
Carolina. 

After Charleston had been captured by the British 
forces the commander took some forty gentlemen, whom 
he believed to be the principal promoters of the Revolu- 
tion, to St. Augustine, and to this number twenty-one 
others were added later. This action was in violation of 
the paroles which had been allowed them. After giving 
new paroles they were allowed the freedom of the city. 
One of them, General Gadsden, refused parole, and was 
kept in close confinement in the castle for almost a year. 
These colonials were treated with many indignities by the 
officers and citizens, and were constantly informed of 
great victories won by the royal troops over the revolu- 
tionists. After about a year all of these prisoners were 
transferred to Philadelphia, where they were exchanged. 

Although general assemblies had been provided for in 
the original letters patent of the king, these instructions 
were not actually carried out until 1780. The governors 
during all these years exercised the discretion granted to 
them, and seemed unwilling to apportion the powers of 
the government. In 1780 Governor Tonyn, of East 
Florida, was finally induced to summon an assembly, but 
he consented very reluctantly. At the first meeting of 
this body, a few laws of local importance were passed and 
a militia force was organized. The men elected were the 



86 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

most substantial and most sensible persons that it was pos- 
sible to secure, so the governor himself bore testimony. 
At its initial meeting the governor delivered an address of 
greeting and congratulations. The conditions of the 
province at this time seem to have been fairly prosperous, 
because of the influx of experienced planters from Geor- 
gia and Carolina, who were familiar with pioneer condi- 
tions. Commerce had greatly increased, and agricultural 
conditions had so improved that Florida promised to be- 
come a valuable English possession. Had Florida re- 
mained an English colony, it is quite possible that it would 
have equaled any of the other seaboard states, for even 
today we find in many places along the Atlantic coast 
traces of English cultivation and of improvements made 
by them. The Florida indigo realized the very highest 
price of any sold in London, and many thousands of 
pounds were exported each year. Likewise the produc- 
tion of naval stores increased annually, and some forty 
thousand barrels were exported in the year 1779. A 
bounty of ten shillings per barrel was allowed. Slavery 
was rapidly increasing also. In the year 1771 alone, one 
thousand negroes were brought in, of whom a goodly 
proportion were imported directly from Africa. Before 
the close of the Revolutionary War trouble had again 
arisen with the Spaniards. The English post at Baton 
Rouge was captured by the Spanish governor of Louisi- 
ana, and -Pensacola was invested by a superior force, both 
by land and sea. Although it was fortified and held by a 
garrison of one thousand men, under General Campbell, 
and was protected by the forts of St. Michel and St. 
Bernard, it was finally captured. The fall was plainly 
due to an accident in which a shell entered the magazine 
of Fort St. Michel, when it was opened to take out am- 
munition. The explosion made a breach which enabled 



Under Four Flags 87 

Spanish troops to enter this fort. General Campbell 
capitulated on honorable terms, which enabled him to 
withdraw his whole force upon the promise not to serve 
against Spain until regularly exchanged. The loss of so 
important a fort was looked upon by the English authori- 
ties as very humiliating. 

With the capture of Pensacola all the military posts of 
West Florida from that town to the Mississippi River 
remained in possession of Spain until the treaty of 1781, 
when they were formally transferred to Spain. With the 
loss of her American colonies, the value of Florida to 
Great Britain was greatly lessened. The government at 
London was also disposed to settle the war with Spain, 
which seemed absolutely fruitless. As a consequence all 
of Florida was exchanged with Spain for the insignificant 
Bahama Islands, which had been captured by the British. 
Thus it was the colonists of Florida again found them- 
selves the victims of a political exchange which vitally 
affected their fortunes, but in which they were not con- 
sulted. The promulgation of the formal treaty by which 
East and West Florida were ceded to Spain, was the first 
intelligence that many of them had of the proposed trans- 
fer. The former conditions of religious toleration were 
not reciprocated in this case, and it was simply provided 
that the English inhabitants were granted eighteen months 
in which to remove their property or to dispose of their 
effects. Hard indeed was the fate that seemed to await 
the English, who had been induced to come here by the 
home government. Many of them had abandoned the 
Thirteen Colonies, because of their adherence to the royal 
cause, and did not think it safe to return. They had no 
point of refuge excepting the barren islets of New Provi- 
dence and the Bahamas. 

It was in June, 1784, that Governor Zespedez, the new 



88 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Spanish official, arrived at St. Augustine with a few 
troops to take possession of Florida in the name of the 
King of Spain. Some transports had been sent by the 
British government to remove those who desired to leave. 
Some went to Nova Scotia: some emigrated to the 
Bahamas, and quite a number sailed to Jamaica, where 
they were received with considerable jealousy. A few 
preferred to return to the United States and take their 
chances in the new republic. Those who went carried 
with them their slaves. The time of removal was ex- 
tended four months by Spain, and a decree was issued 
allowing the former inhabitants to remain, if they would 
take a solemn oath of fidelity to his Catholic Majesty, and 
would not change their residence or go away without 
leave of the government. A few English families re- 
mained after the evacuation, and the entire settlement of 
Creeks and Minorcans, who had composed the Turnbull 
colony, sS'yed. As they were Roman Catholics the 
change was probably welcomed by them. 

The prosperity of Florida ceased with the Spanish oc- 
cupation; the flourishing plantations that had been built 
up by English planters were allowed to drop into decay 
and soon reverted to the natural wilderness. A few 
sporadic attempts were made to induce settlement by 
proffers of land, but such impossible conditions were at- 
tached that few were willing to come. The few planters 
who remained soon abandoned the struggle in disgust. 
The boldness of the Indians increased, and a number of 
depredations occurred. At this time the principal chief 
of the Creeks was Alexander McGillivray, who was the 
son of a Scotchman and a half-breed Creek' woman. He 
had been carefully educated, and upon his return to the 
nation soon acquired great influence with them. During 
the Revolutionary War he served with the British and re- 



Under Four Flags 89 

ceived the rank of colonel. At its close he entered into 
a treaty with the Spanish governor, agreeing to adhere 
to that government. For this he was given the rank and 
pay of a colonel of the Spanish army, and proved a very 
useful ally. It was through his efforts that the neighbor- 
ing tribes were prevented from allying themselves with 
the Americans. He was not altogether loyal, for he also 
received pay from the United States government, and at 
times wore the uniform of a brigadier-general in the 
American army. He died in 1793 and was buried at 
Pensacola with Masonic honors. 

It was only natural that friction should arise between 
the Spanish authorities of Florida and the newly-formed 
United States. About ten years after the change of the 
flag of Florida, General James Mcintosh, who had been a 
prominent revolutionary officer, settled upon the St. 
John's River, at a plantation he called Bellevue. Several 
other American families, who were devoted t^ his inter- 
ests, had migrated with him. The Spanish governor, 
being suspicious of Mcintosh, had him arrested and 
thrown into prison when he was on a visit in St. Augus- 
tine. A detachment of soldiers were sent to Bellevue 
who searched his house and carried away all his private 
papers. General Mcintosh was transferred to Havana 
and imprisoned in the dungeons of Moro Castle. Al- 
though his blind wife made every effort for his freedom, 
it was a year before he was released. After this experi- 
ence General Mcintosh abandoned Florida and removed 
to Georgia with his followers, after having destroyed a 
small Spanish fort at Cowfords, opposite Jacksonville, 
and several Spanish galleys anchored in the river. 

The beginning of the American domination in Florida 
dates from the retrocession to France of that portion of 
West Florida lying west of the Perdido River. This 



90 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

alienated from West Florida the most valued portion of 
her territory. What was left received very little atten- 
tion from the home government. Eight years later 
Napoleon ceded this territory to the United States and 
France, which at one time claimed all the territory from 
the mouth of the Mississippi to the St. Lawrence, with- 
drew from the last of her possessions in North America. 
Her forts and trading-houses had been scattered all along 
the Great Lakes and the principal rivers of this princely 
domain : but step by step she had receded from the snow- 
bound region of the North, and now she yielded the mild 
and sunny borders of the Gulf of Mexico. Her imprint 
remains still in the names bestowed during the French 
possession. 

When trouble arose between the United States and 
Great Britain, in 1811, the Americans believed that the 
English were about to seize Florida as a base of opera- 
tions against the United States. A resolution was 
secretly passed by Congress authorizing the President to 
obtain possession of Florida, in the event that such an 
attempt was made. Negotiations were entered into with 
the Spanish authorities of Florida to procure temporary 
possession of the province. " Should there be room to 
entertain a suspicion that a design existed on the part of 
any other power to seize Florida," the military authorities 
were authorized to take possession by force. The Span- 
ish government absolutely refused to surrender Florida, 
as might be anticipated, and protested against any trespass 
upon its domain. In the spring of 18 12, a number of 
frontiersmen and a few settlers in North Florida assem- 
bled near St. Mary's and organized a provisional govern- 
ment to establish a republic in Florida. General Mcin- 
tosh was chosen Director of the Republic of Florida, and 
Colonel Ashley was appointed as military chief. 



Under Four Flags 91 

Because of the embargo imposed on trade with Great 
Britain by the United States, Fernandina became a depot 
for neutral trade, and scores of vessels might be seen in 
her harbor at the same time. The town itself was about 
four years old and contained a population of about six 
hundred. A small garrison held possession of the place, 
under Captain Jose Lopez, when nine American gunboats, 
under the command of Commodore Campbell, entered 
the harbor under the pretense of protecting American in- 
terests. General Matthews, who was on board, had de- 
termined to occupy Amelia Island, and decided to use 
the patriotic organization as a pretense to secure it. The 
gunboats were drawn up in a line in front of Fernandina, 
with their guns trained upon the fort. Colonel Ashley 
then embarked his patriots in boats and commanded the 
town to surrender. The Spanish commandant, seeing a 
number of gunboats before the town, even though not fly- 
ing a hostile flag, decided to surrender. The Spanish 
flag was hauled down and articles of capitulation entered 
into on the 17th of March, 181 2, These were signed by 
the Spanish commandant, for the Spanish Government, 
and by John H. Mcintosh, on the part of the patriots. 
It was provided by these articles " that the island shall, 
twenty-four hours after the surrender, be ceded to the 
United States of America," but that the port of Fernan- 
dina shall be open as heretofore to vessels of all countries, 
including Great Britain. On the succeeding day Lieu- 
tenant Ridgley, of the United States army, assumed pos- 
session, while Colonel Ashley with his patriotic army of 
some three hundred men marched toward St. Augustine 
and were here joined by a hundred men under Colonel 
Smith. They reached Fort Moosa, but did not attempt 
to take St. Augustine. When knowledge of these events 
reached the Spanish minister at Washington he remon- 



92 F lorida: The Land of Enchantment 

strated with the authorities. This placed the President 
in an embarrassing position, for General Matthews was 
his accredited commissioner, and had simply followed out 
his instructions. He was compelled to relieve General 
Matthews from his position in order to avoid serious com- 
plications and Governor Mitchell, of Georgia, was desig- 
nated to succeed him. 

Friction was aroused by an attack by negroes upon a 
detachment of United States troops, most of them in- 
valids, who were on their way from Colonel Smith's camp, 
at Pass Navarro, to Colonel Briggs' camp, on the St. 
John's, in which several Americans were killed. Gov- 
ernor Mitchell promptly called for reinforcements to en- 
able him to attack St. Augustine. The governor of 
Florida in turn demanded that all the United States troops 
be withdrawn from the province. By order of the Presi- 
dent this was done, in order to avoid hostilities with 
Spain. Because the Indians were carrying on a preda- 
tory warfare upon the American settlements Colonel 
Newman, of Georgia, headed a volunteer expedition 
against the Indian town of Alachua. Near the foot of 
Lake Pitchlachocco, a few miles from this town, they 
encountered a considerable body of Indians under their 
leaders Bowlegs and Payne. A sanguinary engagement 
followed in which Payne was mortally wounded, and the 
Indians fled. They returned a few hours later with re- 
inforcements and charged the Americans. Colonel New- 
man did not attempt to penetrate any farther into Florida, 
but retreated on the night of the 8th. He was again at- 
tacked by the Indians and compelled to draw up breast- 
works. The troops suffered greatly before they reached 
their homes from lack of food and other supplies. 

In the early part of the year 1813, the last of the 
American troops were withdrawn from Florida. Cover- 



Under Four Flags 93 

nor Mitchell was superseded by General Pinkney. As 
the Spanish forces had been too weak to contest with the 
invaders, the country for a couple of years was practi- 
cally in the condition of a conquered country. The 
American operations had undoubtedly been a serious 
thing for the province, for the agricultural development 
had been brought to a standstill. The troops in marching 
across the country had foraged upon the impotent plant- 
ers at will, and without tendering compensation. In 
August, 1814, a British fleet entered the harbor of Pensa- 
cola and landed troops, with the consent of Governor 
Manrequez. The British flag was raised over Forts 
Michel and Barrancas, and the Indians of the neighbor- 
hood were furnished with arms and ammunition to fight 
the Americans, liberal bounties being promised to them. 
The American government was not idle, for General 
Andrew Jackson was directed to proceed against Pensa- 
cola. This he did in November of that year, with about 
five thousand volunteers from Tennessee and a force of 
friendly Indians, marching from Mobile in three days 
with his characteristic impetuosity. When a flag, which 
he sent forward to the Spanish governor, was fired upon, 
he determined to storm the town at once and advanced 
his troops for a direct assault. His progress was rapid 
and che Americans soon entered the streets of the city, 
despite the fact that it was defended by a fort, several 
batteries and seven war vessels. The town quickly 
yielded and Fort Michel was captured. Fort Barrancas 
was blown up by the English commander, who embarked 
with his troops on board the vessels lying in the harbor. 
After holding the town for two days, and having de- 
stroyed the forts, General Jackson withdrew his troops 
and marched to New Orleans, which was then threatened 
by the British, and where he won the victory that gave 



94 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

him an enduring place among our national heroes. By 
this act Jackson put into action what had been theore- 
tically asserted in Washington — the national rights. 
Jackson's act was added by Spain to her already lengthy 
list of wrongs which she claimed to have suffered from 
the United States. 

The Spanish governor at once began to rebuild the 
forts. Colonel Nichols, who had been driven from 
Pensacola, lingered in the peninsula, even after peace was 
declared, and endeavored to incite the Seminoles against 
the border settlements. He landed on the Apalachicola 
River and built a strong fortification upon a high bluff. 
A garrison of three hundred British troops was placed in 
it, and it was made a rallying point for the Creek Indians 
and a place of refuge for runaway slaves. This garrison 
was not withdrawn until the close of the War of 1812, 
when the fort fell into the hands of escaped negroes under 
the leadership of Garcia. Fort Gadsden was afterwards 
built on the same site. This fort proved to be a menace 
to all the settlements above, for it commanded navigation 
upon the river. 

In August, 1816, Colonel Duncan L. Clinch was sta- 
tioned on the Chattahoochee River, about one hundred 
and fifty miles above. General Gaines ordered some 
provisions and ordnance to be brought up the Apalachi- 
cola to Camp Crawford. Instructions were given to re- 
duce this fort, if opposition was offered. Colonel Clinch 
descended the river with one hundred and sixteen men, 
and they were joined by a considerable number of friendly 
Creeks. They landed a short distance above the fort. 
Garcia raised the English Jack. The American vessels 
approached as near as they could from below and planted 
a battery on a strategic site. The negroes opened fire 
with a thirty-two pounder. The Americans replied, and 



Under Four Flags 95 

the fifth shot from a gunboat entered one of the maga- 
zines, blowing it up. Of more than three hundred men, 
women and children in the fort, not more than fifty sur- 
vived the terrific explosion. Garcia and an Indian chief 
were condemned to death by a council of friendly Indians 
and immediately executed. 

Scattered bands of Indians continued to harass the 
American settlements, so that General Jackson led a 
second military expedition numbering about three thou- 
sand into Florida, in the spring of 1818, No doubt he 
welcomed this assignment, for he had just previously ad- 
vised the seizing of East Florida " as indemnity for the 
outrage of Spain upon the property of our citizens. . . . 
Let it be signified to me through any channel that the pos- 
session of the Floridas would be desirable to the United 
States, and in sixty days it will be accomplished." On 
this occasion there were to be no half-way measures. He 
marched into St. Marks and hauled down the Spanish 
flag, replacing it with the Stars and Stripes. Two Eng- 
lish subjects, named Arbuthnot and Ambrister, were cap- 
tured and condemned to death by court martial. He de- 
stroyed several Mickosukee towns in East Florida and on 
the Suwanee River. At one town he found three hun- 
drew scalps of men, women and children, most of which 
were fresh. He then proceeded against Pensacola with 
forced marches, because he was informed the Spanish 
governor was supplying the Indians with guns and am- 
munition. All protests of that official were unavailing. 
The governor immediately retired to Fort Barrancas, and 
then surrendered with only a slight show of resistance., 
Jackson then recrossed the border, and a veritable storm 
broke about his head. Not only were England and 
Spain aroused, but several other European nations 
denounced him as a bandit, a murderer and a violater of 



96 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

the laws of nations, while in his own country he was the 
target for unrestrained abuse. 

From the moment that Napoleon signed the treaty, 
which is known as the *' Louisiana Purchase," the pos- 
session of Florida became essential to the United States. 
In no instance in connection with our national expansion 
does the element of inevitable destiny seem so clearly 
discernible. Its geographical situation gave it command 
over the marine highway between the old and the new sec- 
tions of the United States, and broke its continuity of 
coastline. Furthermore, in alien hands it was a possible 
menace to American shipments and commerce. It was 
realized that in time of war it might become a post for 
military operations by an enemy, and in the hands of a 
weak nation, like Spain, it offered an asylum for restless 
Indians, fugitive slaves, sea pirates and outlaws of every 
sort, who waged a vindictive warfare against the Ameri- 
can settlements. There was the further possibility, also, 
that if the United States did not acquire Florida the 
ownership might pass to a country much stronger than 
Spain and thus become still more undesirable as a 
neighbor. 

The question of the acquisition of Florida was im- 
mediately raised after the purchase of Louisiana, but was 
not settled for some fifteen years, after much irritation 
on both sides. The description was so vague that it 
gave rise to a natural misunderstanding, and left ample 
scope for argument on both sides. As France had 
claimed the coast to the Perdido River, the United States 
ignored the fact that Spain was in actual possession of 
the country between the Mississippi and the Perdido and 
passed an act known as the Mobile Act, organizing that 
region for customs purposes. Spain resented this act 
in words that fairly burned with indignation. All 



Under Pour Flags 97 

negotiations with Spain proved futile because of the ex- 
cessive pride of that country, and the American govern- 
ment was hampered by a change of executives and by 
Congress. It remained for one American to be the 
leader in the various events which brought Spain to a 
realization of the necessity and the advantage of trans- 
ferring Florida to the United States, and this man was 
" Old Hickory," who was as yet little known outside of 
his own state of Tennessee. Of the army afterwards 
placed in his hands, Jackson himself wrote: " They go 
at our country's call to do the will of the Government. 
No constitutional scruples trouble them. Nay, they will 
rejoice at the opportunity of placing the American eagle 
on the ramparts of Mobile, Pensacola, and Fort St. 
Augustine." 

Jackson's expedition really brought to a focus the 
whole question of Florida. John Quincy Adams de- 
clared : " Spain must immediately make her election 
either to place a force in Florida at once adequate for 
the protection of her territory and to the fulfillment of 
her engagements, or cede to the United States a province 
of which she retains nothing but the nominal possession, 
but which is, in fact, a derelict, open to the occupancy of 
every enemy, civilized or savage, of the United States, 
and serving no earthly purpose than as a point of annoy- 
ance to them. . . . The duty of this government to 
protect the persons and property of our fellow citizens 
on the borders of the United States is imperative — it 
must be discharged." There was no mistaking this 
language, and Spain finally announced her willingness to 
negotiate the subject of ceding the peninsula. 

By a treaty entered into between Spain and the United 
States, on the 22nd day of February, 1819, Florida was 
ceded to the United States. By this treaty it was pro- 



98 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

vided that " all the grants of land made before the 28th 
of January, 1818, by Spain, should be ratified and con- 
firmed to the same extent that the same grants would be 
valid if the territory had remained under the dominion 
of Spain." The monetary consideration on the part 
of the United States was five millions of dollars, to be 
paid to American claimants against Spain, some of which 
dated as far back as the first Napoleonic war. The 
boundaries acquired by the Louisiana Purchase were 
fixed for the first time. Although the United States had 
claimed the territory clear to the Rio Grande River, the 
Sabine was accepted as the boundary by which all claim 
to the fertile plains of Texas was relinquished. Spain 
also abandoned her shadowy pretense to the great Oregon 
country in the Northwest. It was also stipulated that the 
United States should make amends for losses to Spain 
by the operation of the American army in Florida. This 
treaty was finally ratified on the 19th day of February, 
1 82 1. The change of flags in East Florida took place in 
St. Augustine on the loth of July, 1821. The trans- 
fer in West Florida was made at Pensacola, on the 21st 
of the same month. Colonel Robert Butler represented 
the United States in the first instance, and General Jack- 
son in the second. 

Administration of civil affairs in Florida after the 
change of sovereignty devolved upon the military 
authorities until Congress, on the 3rd of March, 1822, 
passed an act providing for a territorial form of govern- 
ment. Both East and West Florida were united under 
the name of the Territory of Florida. The legislative 
power was vested in a governor and in " thirteen of the 
most fit and discreet persons of the Territory," to be 
called the " Legislative Council," which was to be ap- 
pointed each year by the President. The judicial power 



Under Four Flags 99 

was vested in two superior courts, one in each division 
of the territory. The first governor was WilHam P. 
Duval, of Kentucky, and the first Legislative Council met 
at Pensacola, in June, 1822. The second session con- 
vened at St. Augustine, in the following year. West 
Florida was divided into two counties, called St. John's 
and Duval. Dr. William H. Simmons and John Lee 
Williams were appointed commissioners to select a site 
for the permanent seat of government. They chose the 
old Indian fields of Tallahassee, and their choice was ap- 
proved by the Council in October, 1823. The first house 
was erected in the new capital in the spring of the follow- 
ing year, and the construction of the state house was 
begun in 1826. It still stands and is used at the present 
day. 

The later history of Florida has been a record of 
gradual growth and development, without any particular 
noteworthy incidents other than those occurring in con- 
nection with the Civil War. Before the Legislature of 
that state had passed the ordinance of secession, troops 
of the state seized the Chattahoochee Arsenal, which 
contained several hundred thousand musket and rifle 
cartridges and fifty thousand pounds of gunpowder. 
This first warlike act occurred on the 8th of January, 
1 86 1. Events began to move very rapidly from that 
time forward. Troops took possession of Fort Marion, 
at St. Augustine, and on the fifteenth the American 
survey schooner F. IV. Dana was seized. That same 
month a large gathering of Florida politicians assembled 
at Tallahassee to consider the establishment of an in- 
dependent empire on the Gulf of Mexico. The Legisla- 
ture met to settle the matter of secession, and an ordi- 
nance to that effect was adopted by a vote of sixty-two 
to seven. This ordinance declared that Florida with- 



100 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

drew from the Union and became " a sovereign and in- 
dependent nation." When the governor's signature 
was attached, on the foHowing day, the event was an- 
nounced by the ringing of bells and the thundering of 
cannon. The representatives of Florida in Washington 
remained in their seats, in order to hamper the federal 
government. An emission of treasury notes for a large 
sum was authorized. 

Florida did not become the theatre of any great battles 
either on sea or land during this internecine conflict. 
Fort Clinch, on Amelia Island, was captured in February, 
1862, and Fernandina was abandoned by the Confeder- 
ates. A flotilla of gunboats captured Jacksonville, 
but did not hold the city long. On two other occasions 
it was captured and, in the last instance, was retained 
until the war ended. St. Augustine was captured early 
in the war by the Federal troops, and the Confederates 
also abandoned Pensacola. Fort Pickens was never in 
the possession of the Confederates. By the middle of 
April, the entire coast from Cape Hatteras to Perdido 
Bay, excepting only Charleston, had been captured by the 
Federal army or navy. 



CHAPTER VI 

THE SEVEN YEARS' CONFLICT WITH THE RED MAN 

One of the most heroic struggles in American history- 
is that waged by the Seminoles of Florida in defense 
of their homes in that peninsula. The Indians dwelling 
there had roamed throughout the peninsula for many 
years in untrammeled freedom, and they had enjoyed 
friendly associations with the Spanish inhabitants. The 
government of Spain did not interfere with their free- 
dom of action but, on the contrary, treated the Indians 
with kindness and even distinction. As soon as Florida 
was ceded to the United States, the American settlers 
began to infiltrate across the border and trouble soon 
afterwards arose. It was found by these adventurers 
that the choicest sections were already appropriated by 
another race, for whom they had little sympathy and no 
charity. The change of flags had transferred the 
aborigines from a nominal and almost timid rule to an 
exacting government with an ambitious and ever in- 
creasing population. The Indians scarcely realized that 
any authority could be superior to their own, and they 
understood nothing of any sovereignty over their 
domain by any alien power, for the Spaniards had never 
attempted to establish any settlements far from the coast 
and only on a small portion of that. 

To remove the threatened difficulty, it was decided by 
the American authorities to hold a treaty with the 
Seminoles and endeavor to induce them to relinquish the 
territory desired for settlement voluntarily. The liberty 

101 



102 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

permitted them was to be greatly circumscribed, and they 
were to be made to realize that they were only 
temporary occupants of this soil. In the official supervi- 
sion, William P. Duval had been named as governor of 
the Territory of Florida and ex-officio head of Indian 
affairs, and Colonel Gad Humphreys had been designated 
as resident agent to the Indians. It was estimated at 
this time that there was a total of almost four thousand 
Indians in the territory and about nine hundred negroes 
were associated with them. They had scattered villages 
throughout the territory and cultivated an inconsiderable 
amount of land. Their maintenance was derived chiefly 
from hunting and fishing. 

James Gadsden, Governor Duval and Bernard Segui 
were appointed commissioners to negotiate a treaty with 
the Seminoles, the object of which was to accomplish 
the removal of the Indians to such parts of the territory 
as would be satisfactory to the white citizens. It is only 
natural to presume that the Indians were astonished at 
such a proposition. They were already in possession of 
their homes, and they claimed themselves to be the right- 
ful possessors of their land. Fort Moultrie, five miles 
south of St. Augustine, was agreed upon as a desirable 
place for the proposed conference. On the day ap- 
pointed a number of chiefs assembled, but it was also 
very apparent that several of the most influential ones 
were conspicuously absent. After prolonged negotia- 
tions and considerable delay, a treaty was agreed to on 
the i8th day of September, 1823. The northern line 
of the Seminole Reserve was about twenty miles south 
of Micanopy. The government agreed to compensate 
the Indians for all the improvements they were compelled 
to abandon, to give a bonus of six thousand dollars and 
an annuity of five thousand dollars for twenty years. 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 103 

This treaty was signed by a majority of the chiefs 
present, but a half-dozen of the leaders refused to affix 
their signature. They believed that the land set apart for 
them was insufficient, and they were doubtless justified 
in their convictions. This treaty was the first of a 
number of instances in which the narrow policies of the 
United States towards the aborigines is revealed. 

In a state so large and so undeveloped as Florida was 
in that day, a far more liberal policy should have been 
adopted. As General Jesup once wrote in an official re- 
port : " In regard to the Seminoles, we have committed 
the error of attempting to remove them when their lands 
were not required for agricultural purposes; when they 
were not in the way of the white inhabitants ; and when 
the greater portion of their country was an unexplored 
wilderness, of the interior of which we were as ignorant 
as of the interior of China. We exhibit in our present 
contest, the first instance, perhaps, since the commence- 
ment of authentic history, of a nation employing an army 
to explore a country (for we can do little more than 
explore it), or attempting to remove a band of savages 
from one unexplored wilderness to another." 

In order to subdue the feelings of the aborigines, large 
concessions were made eventually. Hence an additional 
article v;as agreed to on the 2nd of January, 1824, which 
was signed by the chiefs known as Tuske Haju, Mulatto 
King, Emathlochner and Econchatenico. Two other 
chiefs, Nea Mathla and John Blunt, refused to give their 
assent. 

The treaty of Fort Moultrie threw a net around the 
Florida Indians from which there was no apparent es- 
cape. Their destiny, happiness and prosperity were 
now absolutely at the mercy of the United States. Here- 
tofore their freedom of action had not been interfered 



104 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

with ; now they were settled within prescribed limits. It 
was exceedingly fortunate for the Indians that Gad 
Humphreys was the Indian agent for, in all his dealings 
with them, he evidenced his desire to deal absolutely 
fairly with these wards of his government, and to secure 
absolute justice for the red man. He established his 
agency at Fort King, now Ocala, in the midst of the 
Indian settlements. 

Like most of its dealings with the red men, the gov- 
ernment at Washington showed itself shortsighted 
toward the Seminoles. Because the Indians did not 
immediately perform everything that was expected of 
them, the government limited their rations, which had 
heretofore been doled out. Colonel Humphreys resented 
this and pleaded for justice to the Indians, but his ef- 
forts availed little. When an Indian attempted to leave 
the reservation without a pass from the agency, trouble 
followed. If an Indian committed a depredation the 
whites demanded immediate punishment; and yet the 
paler race were frequently at fault. The savages blocked 
their way and were looked upon with an eye of unfriend- 
liness. An outbreak almost occurred through the action 
of a Mr. Salano, who reported to the commander of the 
United States troops that six Indians had appeared at 
his house in pursuit of three others, whom they believed 
to have been murdered by the whites. A squad was sent 
out to search for these Indians and, when they were 
discovered, Mr. Salano discharged a pistol which brought 
about a fight. A couple of Indians were wounded 
slightly and captured. The missing Indians were after- 
wards found unharmed and an outbreak at this time was 
avoided. As the white population of the territory be- 
came augmented, the demand for the entire removal 
of the Indians became more and more insistent. One of 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 105 

the principal sources of trouble was the persistency with 
which slave owners in the southern states demanded the 
return of negroes who had escaped to Florida. The 
Indians themselves owned a number of slaves, some of 
whom they had purchased from the whites and others 
who had been born among them. The Indians, however, 
had no power to establish their rights. Whenever the 
whites claimed a negro living among the Indians, the 
government demanded an immediate delivery of this 
slave pending adjudication by the court, but the same 
thing was not permitted when the tables were turned. 
This distinction made the Indians very dissatisfied. 

The Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida 
passed an act which provided that: " If any Indian of 
the years of discretion venture to roam or ramble beyond 
the boundary lines of the reservations which have been 
assigned to the tribe or nation to which said Indian 
belongs, it shall and may be lawful for any person or 
persons, to apprehend, seize and take said Indian and 
carry him before some justice of the peace, who is here- 
by authorized, empowered and required, to direct (if said 
Indian have not a written permission from the agent, 
to do some specific act) that there shall be inflicted not 
exceeding thirty-nine stripes, at the discretion of the 
justice, on the bare back of said Indian, and moreover 
to cause the gun of said Indian, if he have any, to be 
taken away from him, and deposited with the colonel 
of the county, or captain of the district in which said 
Indian may be taken, subject to the order of the superin- 
tendent of Indian affairs." 

Colonel Humphreys protested to the governor against 
this legislative act. He pointed out the injustice of it, 
and also indicated its probable effect. In a letter to the 
governor, he says, " And any man who reads the history 



106 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

of this inglorious war and its effects, will learn and see 
much which as an American, a member of a nation call- 
ing itself Christian, he must blush at; and I find it a 
duty to say to you, that upon the subject of this treat- 
ment of the Indians the chiefs exhibit great feeling." 
The Legislative Council also memorialized Congress 
regarding the Indian claims, and of the outrages that 
had been committed by them, begging for their speedy 
removal out of the territory. For a time Colonel 
Humphreys was able to protect the Indians and prevent 
decisive action being taken, but year after year the tide 
kept increasing against them. The people seemed to 
believe all the allegations made against the Indians, and 
looked with askance upon everything said in their 
favor. 

In 1827 an Indian who was accompanying Billy Bow- 
legs and his wife to Tallahassee was shot, and the Indians 
were very much aroused. It was revealed that this 
Indian had no pass, but Bowlegs had been given a 
pass for himself and wife, and the other Indian undoubt- 
edly considered it would- be permissible for him to travel 
with them. The Indian also complained that the annuity 
granted under the treaty was withheld. This had been 
retained with the belief that such suspension would in- 
duce the Indians to surrender the runaway negroes. 
Again did Colonel Humphreys protest against the de- 
partment's action, but his complaint was practically 
ignored. A white man was murdered by the Indians, 
and several chiefs were called together to " talk " about 
the matter.^ 

1 Those interested in a more extended account of this conflict 
will find a very complete history of it in "The Origin, Progress, 
and Conclusion of the Florida War" by John T. Sprague, pub- 
lished in 1847, 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 107 

The Indian chiefs discussed the matter in a very 
sensible way, and they agreed to the demands of the 
agent. 

On the 29th of October, 1828, a "talk" with the 
Indians was conducted by Colonel Humphreys, at which 
a number of chiefs and sub-chiefs were present. The 
purpose of this conference was to prevail upon the chiefs 
to send a delegation to examine the country west of the 
Mississippi to which it was proposed to transfer them and 
their followers. The chiefs consented to this arrange- 
ment, providing that the agent himself would accompany 
them on their tour, that their expenses would be 
liquidated, and that no obligation on the part of the na- 
tion to remove was to be construed from their journey. 
Months of delay followed before the Indian Bureau 
passed upon the proposition, and the Indians became 
greatly discontented. The years 1829 and 1830 were 
indeed critical years, for no one knew at what mo- 
ment open hostilities might commence and the country 
be devastated by the torch and tomahawk. Colonel 
Humphreys was accused by the whites of being too 
partial to the Indians, and influences were brought to bear 
to accomplish his removal. These adverse influences 
were successful, and he was succeeded in 1830 by Major 
John Phagan. 

The proposition to send a delegation of Indians west 
was revived and carried into effect in May, 1832. A 
number of the influential chiefs gathered near Orange 
Springs, where they were met by Colonel Gadsden, and 
the treaty of Payne's Landing, on the Ocklawaha, was 
formed. This treaty provided for the journey of in- 
spection and recited as follows that : " should they be 
satisfied with the character of the country and of the 
favorable disposition of the Creeks to reunite with the 



108 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Seminoles as one people," the treaty, which provided 
for the surrender of their lands and their removal, " shall 
be binding on the respective parties." The chiefs spent 
several months in the West, and on their return an " ad- 
ditional treaty " was made at Fort Gibson, on the 28th 
day of March, 1833, by the American commissioners and 
the Indian chiefs. This treaty recited that the Indians 
were satisfied, which then meant that the treaty of 
Payne's Landing was in full effect, and both treaties were 
ratified by the United States Senate. When the Indians 
returned, the nation was dissatisfied and disowned the 
acts of their chiefs, who claimed that they had been 
deceived. This treaty formed the basis of the trouble 
that followed. The United States insisted upon the 
Indians living up to its very letter, and measures were at 
once taken for their removal. 

Major Phagan was superseded as agent by General 
Wiley Thompson. Numerous evidences of fraud and 
double dealing were found during the former's in- 
cumbency. The real crisis was rapidly approaching. 
In a conference held by the new agent with some of the 
chiefs at Fort King, Osceola used violent language, in 
which he is reported to have said, " The only treaty I will 
execute is with this," at the same time driving his knife 
into the table. Colonel Duncan L. Clinch was placed 
in charge of the United States troops and ordered to 
employ actual force if necessary to effect the removal. 
Another council was held at the Indian agency, which was 
attended by Colonel Clinch and General Thompson, as 
well as a large number of the influential chiefs. Ex- 
treme language was again indulged in, but eight chiefs 
finally came forward and agreed to migrate. Five of 
them, including Sam Jones, Jumper, Alligator, Black 
Dirt and Micanopy, refused absolutely. General 




Courtesy of the Bureau of American Ethnology, Smithsonian Institute. 
OSCEOLA. 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 109 

Thompson at once struck the names of these chiefs from 
the tribal roll, and declared them no longer to be coun- 
sellors of the nation. 

An order was finally issued forbidding the sale of any 
ammunition or arms to the Indians, and this was re- 
garded by them as an insult. Osceola became so abusive 
at one time that he was arrested and confined in irons for 
several days. 

"Am I a negro — a slave? My skin is dark, but not 
black ! I am an Indian — a Seminole ! The white man 
shall not make me black, I will make him red with blood 
and then blacken him in the sun and rain, where the 
world shall smell his bones and the buzzard live upon 
his flesh!" Thus did Osceola utter his defiance. Pre- 
tending to be penitent, he was finally released, but he 
simply bided his time for revenge. Isolated murders and 
depredations began to be reported. The chief, Charley 
Emathla, who had begun his preparations for removal, 
was shot down in cold blood by his own race. Osceola, 
with a band of followers, approached the Indian agency 
seeking for vengeance. On the 28th day of December, 
while General Thompson and a companion were walk- 
ing some distance from, the fort, they were fired upon 
and both men fell pierced by many balls. With fiendish 
whoops and yells, and with knives glistening in the air, 
the savages rushed out and scalped their victims within 
sight of the fort. So great was the craving for the 
first trophies of the war that the scalps were cut into 
small pieces and distributed among the warriors. They 
then attacked the sutler's store and secured some addi- 
tional victims. 

Major Francis L. Dade had been ordered from Key 
West to Fort Brooke, and arrived at Tampa Bay on the 
2 1st of December. With some of his troops he pro- 



110 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

ceeded to march to Fort King to strengthen that post, 
a distance of about one hundred and thirty miles through 
an unsettled country. A negro slave named Louis 
Pacheo, belonging to a sutler, was taken as a guide. 
Three days after his arrival Major Dade began his fate- 
ful march with a six-pounder gun and ten days' provi- 
sions. On the 27th day of the month, while marching 
along in open order, the troops fell into an ambuscade 
of the Indians led by Micanopy. The Indians did not 
open lire until the troops were within thirty or forty 
yards, and almost one-half of the command fell at the 
first volley. Those who escaped sought shelter behind 
trees, and a breastwork of pine trees was hastily thrown 
up when the Indians had temporarily retired. One by 
one the officers and men were picked off, and at about two 
o'clock the last man fell. A soldier named Clark finally 
succeeded in making his way to Tampa, and was the 
only man out of the command that escaped. This 
massacre was partly due to the treacherous negro guide, 
who joined the Indians and remained with them during 
the war that followed."^ 

It was some time before General Clinch learned 
the tragic fate of Dade's command. The massacre 
astounded the country. For two companies of trained 
and disciplined soldiers to be thus annihilated in broad 
daylight was an incident without a parallel. General 
Clinch hastily gathered together his regulars and some 
volunteers and advanced toward Fort Drane. While 
attempting to cross the Withlacoochee River, the troops 

1 Louis Pacheo subsequently emigrated to the Indian Territory 
and then to Mexico. More than half a century after the Dade 
Massacre, longing for the scenes of his youth, he once more re- 
turned to Florida. He denied the charge of betrayal. In 1895, 
three years after his return, he died at the age of ninety-five 
years. 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 111 

were attacked by the Indians. The Indians fought 
bravely, being stimulated by their victory over Major 
Dade, but they were now compelled to retreat. 

The prosecution of the Florida War involved large 
expenditures of money and caused serious embarrass- 
ments. The climate, the ignorance of the country, the 
treachery and activity of the enemy, all baffled the skill of 
the most experienced officers. The warriors were like- 
wise much more numerous than had been anticipated 
for, including the armed negroes, there were probably a 
couple thousand men capable of carrying arms. These 
Indians were divided into several bands, composing 
Seminoles, Mickasukies, Tallahassies and Creeks. Mi- 
canopy was known as the Pond Governor, and was the 
acknowledged head of the Indians of Florida. He 
was about fifty years of age, very fat and excessively 
lazy, and, as a result, was not qualified for active war- 
fare. For this reason he was inclined to advocate peace. 
In some instances he was carried into action by main 
force by his followers. Jumper was his sense-bearer, or 
messenger, and he was a cunning and deceitful Indian. 
He was very brave and in the prime of life. 

Taholoochee, or the Little Cloud, was a brave warrior 
of about thirty-six, and he hated the whites. Halpolter 
Tustenugge, or Alligator, was probably the most 
shrewd, crafty and intelligent chief of the Seminoles. 
He was about forty years of age, had mingled much 
with the whites and spoke English very well. He was 
known as an agreeable companion. King Philip was a 
good-natured fellow and a sensible sort of Indian, about 
sixty years of age. He was also inclined toward peace 
but opposed to the removal. His wish was to avoid the 
whites, rather than resist them. His son, Coacoochee, or 
the Wild Cat, was probably the most dangerous chief of 



112 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

the tribe. He loved the excitement of the war path 
and was more vindictive in his cruelties than others, for 
war became to him a pastime. Sam Jones was the 
oldest Indian on the peninsula, and his home was near 
Ocala. He was a chief of the Mickasukie tribe. 
Thlock-lo-Tostenuggee, or Tigertail, was the chief of 
the Tallahassees. For many years he had been a 
common lounger about the streets of Tallahassee, where 
he begged for whiskey and food. Of the Creeks there 
were about seventy warriors under a sub-chief by the 
name of Ostianche. 

All of these warriors, however, paled before Osceola, 
or Powell, as he was generally known. He was the 
governing spirit of rebellion. Belonging to a branch 
of the Creeks that was known as Redsticks, he was born 
in Georgia, in 1804. He was the son of an English- 
man, named William Powell, who had been a trader with 
that nation. His mother was an Indian woman of the 
tribe. When a feud occurred among the Creeks, in 
1808, they separated. His mother preferred to go to 
Florida. She retained the son, while the father kept 
the two daughters. The mother was again married. 
Osceola, whose real name was As-se-se-ha-ho-lar 
(Black Drink) was about five feet and eight inches 
high, with an open and a frank countenance. From boy- 
hood he was known for his independence and self posses- 
sion, and he was always dignified in his association with 
the whites. Although his rank was humble and obscure, 
he had the temerity to strike the first blow against the 
United States Government. Because he had lived with 
the Seminoles from his youth, he felt that their fortunes 
were his own. He was more humane than some of the 
other chiefs, for he instructed his followers to spare 
women and children. " It is not upon them that we 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 113 

make war and draw the scalping-knife. It is upon men. 
Let us act like men." 

The activity and cruelty of the enemy following the 
Dade Massacre created a panic throughout the territory. 
Settlers began to flee from their homes in a panic. A 
number of plantations in East Florida were completely 
destroyed in the month of January, 1836. The govern- 
ment realized that a sanguinary war with the Indians of 
Florida was inevitable. General Cass, at the head of 
the War Department, put forth vigorous measures. 
Volunteers and militia were called into service. De- 
tachments of regular troops were ordered there. 
Brigadier-General Clinch was placed in charge for the 
time being. Major-General Gaines embarked at New 
Orleans on the 3rd of February with eleven hundred 
men, all of whom were eager to avenge the cruel murder 
of their comrades. Three days after his arrival at 
Fort Brooke the expedition began its march across the 
country, with seventy friendly Indians as guides. The 
site of the Dade Massacre was reached in eight days, and 
the remains of those massacred were buried. The bodies 
of eight officers and ninety-eight men were thus in- 
terred. They proceeded to Fort King without having 
seen a hostile savage. Because this outpost was so far 
from his base of supplies. General Gaines, much to his 
regret, decided that it was best to return to Fort Brooke. 
When returning to that fort the Indians opened a spirited 
fire on the troops while they were fording a river. Gen- 
eral Gaines threw up a hasty breastwork and sent a 
messenger to General Clinch for reinforcements. Sup- 
plies became so short before these arrived that it was 
necessary to kill several of the horses and some dogs 
for food. 

General Winfield Scott had been ordered to assume 



114 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

charge of the Florida, army. He took the field on the 
22nd day of February and remained in charge until the 
30th of May. He outlined an elaborate campaign on 
paper, which was never put into operation because of the 
many obstacles that were encountered at every step. 
The campaign conducted by him was called a failure, 
because he did not succeed in crushing the rebellion. 

The year 1836 had indeed been a disastrous one. A 
small blockhouse on the Withlacoochee River had been 
besieged for several weeks, during which the defenders 
W'Cre driven to the greatest extremities for food. Ex- 
press riders and isolated settler.s had been cruelly 
murdered in numerous instances. Fort King was 
abandoned, as also was Fort Drane. Most of the settle- 
ments along the St. John's had been destroyed. The fort 
at Micanopy was broken up. A court of inquiry was 
called by the President, and General Scott made an ex- 
tended defense, the result of which was his triumphant 
vindication. He admitted that the results were not 
satisfactory, but "attributed it to the following : lateness 
of the order; inefficient means of transportation and in- 
sufficient supplies of bread and bacon; climatic causes; 
lack of bridges and roads; the want of an auxiliary 
Indian force and guides; the limit of time for prepara- 
tion and the intrusion of General Gaines. 

General V. K. Call assumed authority over the troops 
in Florida in succession to General Scott, but remained 
in charge only a few months, during which only in- 
decisive operations were carried out. He was succeeded 
by Major-General Thomas Jesup, who had been appointed 
to the supreme command. A regiment of the Creek 
Indians was formed who were mustered into service and 
paid as militia. General Jesup was enabled to profit by 
the misfortunes of his predecessors. The fastnesses of 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 115 

the Indians were invaded between the Withlacoochee 
River and the Wahoo Swamp. Fort Dade was estab- 
Hshed on that river. They were even pursued as far 
south as Lake Ahapopka, where the Chief Osarche was 
killed. Fort Mellon, on the west side of Lake Monroe, 
had to defend itself against a numerically large force 
of aborigines, in which several Americans were slain. 
A number of encounters took place at different places, 
in which some Indians and a few soldiers were killed. 
On one occasion the interpreter, Abraham, visited 
General Jesup by invitation, bringing with him Jumper 
and Alligator, and two of the sub-chiefs. They brought 
friendly messages. An arrangement was made for a 
later meeting at Fort Dade with other chiefs, with the 
understanding that hostilities should cease in the mean- 
time. 

In accordance with the previous arrangement, the 
council was held at Fort Dade on March 6, 1837, where 
a large number of Indians had assembled. A capitula- 
tion was drawn up, by the terms of which the Indians 
agreed to withdraw south of the Hillsborough River 
until arrangements would be made for their removal. 
A place ten miles south of Fort Brooke was agreed upon 
as a rendezvous. By the middle of May a large number 
of Indians were assembled there in camp under the di- 
rection of the chief, Micanopy, who had acquiesced to 
the terms. Alligator, Holacoochee, Jumper, Cloud and 
occasionally Coacoochee came in to Fort Brooke, ap- 
parently in the very best of spirits. Provisions and 
clothing were distributed, and twenty-six vessels were 
ready for their departure to New Orleans. The time 
of the departure was delayed from week to week because 
the chiefs claimed relatives and friends were preparing 
to join them. The general and chief officers really were 



116 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

deluded into believing that the war was at an end. Large 
numbers of the citizens returned to their homes because 
the surrender of so many chiefs induced them to believe 
that the conflict had ended. 

Before the last date set for the departure Osceola, at 
the head of two hundred Mickasukies, came to the camp 
and soon afterwards the Indians, numbering some seven 
hundred, fled, for which various reasons were assigned. 
The real motive doubtless was their unwillingness to 
leave Florida, and their determination that they never 
would. Had the delay not been granted, this entire body 
could have been transported and the war would doubt- 
less have been greatly shortened. Micanopy joined his 
followers because he feared for his own safety. The 
Indians had secured new supplies of clothing, the delay 
had furnished sufticient time for their crops to mature, 
and the season rendered impossible a fresh military 
expedition at this time. Nevertheless, vigorous efforts 
were put forth, and many Indians together with their 
negro allies were slain or captured. King Philip, or 
Emathla, was among these. 

General Taylor, with a force of eleven hundred men, 
marched to the Okeechobee country, where he encount- 
ered a large force of the Indians. The troops charged 
and routed the enemy after a stubbornly contested battle. 
Several of the leading chiefs were in command of the 
aborigines. This was the last great battle that was 
fought by them, for they realized that the American 
troops were too numerous now. They ever afterwards 
trusted to the swamps and morasses and the natural 
obstacles of the country to fight their battles for them. 
General Jesup was condemned by the press without in- 
quiry or investigation, and his removal was demanded. 
The general himself desired to be relieved of the com- 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 117 

mand, but warmly defended his action. This was in 
July, 1838. General Jesup rendered a detailed account 
to the Government of the operations that had been carried 
on against the Indians under his command. He reported 
that the number of Indians and negroes who had 
surrendered to the army during that time amounted to 
nineteen hundred and seventy-eight, of whom twenty- 
three escaped. The killed, however, numbered more than 
those escaping. The efforts of General Jesup should 
have lead to good results, but the Department of War 
persisted in the same vacillating policy which had 
characterized it heretofore. General Jesup had strongly 
advised a more conciliatory policy toward the Seminoles 
and more tact in the dealings with them. 

One officer, in reporting his movements, described the 
difficulties as follows : " To gain these important 
advantages, the troops have endured every hardship 
and privation; they have been exposed to the drenching 
rains, the noxious vapors, and the scorching sun of an 
almost torrid climate ; they have waded rivers, made long 
marches over burning sands, traversed almost impassable 
swamps, and sought the enemy in fastnesses such as 
American soldiers had seldom penetrated before, and 
with a perseverance, and energy, and a courage, worthy 
the best era of the republic." 

Colonel Zachariah Taylor, afterwards President of 
the United States, was given the command of the 
Florida army. He was the leader in what is known as 
" the battle of Okeechobee." He had been ordered by 
General Jesup to lead an expedition against the Chief 
Sam Jones, and to either destroy or capture this chief. 
In command of a force of a little in excess of one 
thousand men, which included a considerable body of 
Indians, he proceeded down the west side of the Kis- 



118 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

simmee River toward Lake Istokpoga. It was believed 
that such a force might overcome the Indians and, as a 
base, some blockhouses were erected on the river. The 
Indian chief, Jumper, with a small body of warriors, their 
families and a few negroes, were met on their way to 
surrender, A few other Indians were encountered on 
the march and made captive. Progress was exceedingly 
difficult on account of the swampy nature of the land 
and the sawgrass. Sam Jones and his warriors were 
eventually encountered, and a fight followed from half- 
past twelve until after three. Twenty-six Americans 
were killed and more than one hundred wounded. 

General Taylor says : " And, here, I trust, I may be 
permitted to say, that I experienced one of the most try- 
ing scenes of my life, and he who could have looked 
on it with indifference, his nerves must have been very 
differently organized from my own. Besides the killed, 
among whom were some of my personal friends, there 
"lay one hundred and twelve wounded officers and 
soldiers, who had accompanied me one hundred and 
forty-five miles, most of the way through an unexplored 
wilderness, without guides, who had so gallantly beaten 
the enemy, under my orders, in his strongest position, 
and who had to be conveyed back through swamps and 
hammocks, from whence we set out, without any ap- 
parent means of doing so. This service, however, was 
encountered and overcome, and they had been conveyed 
thus far, and proceeded on to Tampa Bay, on rude litters, 
constructed with the axe and knife alone, with poles and 
dry hides, the latter being found in great abundance at 
the encampment of the hostiles. The litters were con- 
veyed on the backs of our weak and tottering horses." 
Among the captives were a number of valuable officers. 
The Indians themselves suffered considerable, leaving 



Se ven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 119 

many on the ground, but most of their killed were car- 
ried away. In this battle several of the most important 
Seminole chiefs participated. Alligator said that three 
hundred and eighty warriors took part. After the 
battle, the Indians retreated toward that inhospitable 
region known as the Everglades, and the American 
troops returned to Kissimmee. 

The military officials, including General Jesup, urged 
upon the Department of War the advisability of allowing 
the Indians to remain within a restricted territory in the 
southern part of Florida, because of the extreme hard- 
ship the soldiers were obliged to undergo. The general 
invited the Indians to visit his camp at Jupiter Inlet. 
The chiefs were urged to bring their followers in and 
await the decision from Washington. A large number 
of Indians and negroes followed his advice. A flat re- 
fusal reached General Jesup about the 20th of March, 
1838. Knowing that the Indians would immediately 
vanish when the decision became known, he ordered their 
detention. More than five hundred Indians and a third 
as many negroes were thus captured. 

Osceola was taken prisoner by General Hernandez, 
acting under orders of General Jesup, on the 22nd day of 
October, 1837. The manner of his capture has been 
criticized a great deal. He was considered the main- 
spring in the resistance, and had been an active par- 
ticipator in much of the tiagedy that had occurred. He 
had misled the commanders and had disregarded the 
most solemn obligations. His profession of friendship 
toward the Americans and assurances of peace were only 
given to secure delay, either to plant and gather crops 
or to secure ammunition and supplies. Osceola had 
come to the camp of General Hernandez in accordance 
with some of the negotiations that had been entered 



120 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

into. It is true that he had come in carrying a flag of 
truce, but the officer contended that he had broken his 
faith in the Fort Dade capitulation, and must be treated 
as an escaped prisoner. When he arrived a series of 
inquiries was made which seemed to arouse the suspicions 
of Osceola. Osceola was sent to Fort Marion, at St. 
Augustine, where Coacoochee was also confined. The 
latter chief made his escape, but proud Osceola refused 
to join him. He was then removed to Fort Moultrie, 
near Charleston, where he became dejected, refused 
sustenance and gradually pined away. He became con- 
vinced that he was forever banished from his tribe, and 
all efforts to cheer him failed. He was buried just out- 
side the principal gateway and a monument erected to his 
memory. 

Of his escape from' Fort Marion, Coacoochee said: 
" We were in a small room, eighteen or twenty feet 
square. All the light admitted, was through a hole about 
eighteen feet from the floor. Through this we must 
effect our escape, or remain and die with sickness. . . . 
In order to reduce ourselves as much as possible, we took 
medicine five days. Under the pretext of being very 
sick, we were permitted to obtain the roots we required. 
For some weeks we watched the moon, in order that the 
night of our attempt it should be as dark as possible. 
At the proper time we commenced the medicine, calculat- 
ing upon the entire disappearance of the moon. . . . 
With much difficulty I succeeded in getting my head 
through ; for the sharp stones took the skin off my breast 
and back. Putting my head through first, I was obliged 
to go down head foremost, until my feet were through, 
fearing every moment the rope would break. At last, 
safely on the ground, I awaited with anxiety the arrival 
of my comrade." 



Fort Marlon. 

{Used by permission of W . J. Harris) 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 121 

It was on the 15th day of May, 1538, that Jesup 
relinquished his command to General ZaChariah Taylor. 
He had proved himself an able and energetic commander. 
During his year and a half of service about two thousand 
Indians and negroes had surrendered or been taken 
prisoners, and about four hundred had been killed. 
Many of their villages had been totally destroyed. Never 
had there been the complaint of a lack of supplies for 
the troops. The new commander proceeded to divide 
the territory into military districts, of twenty miles 
square, in the center of each of which a small post was 
to be established. No longer did the savages venture 
any pitched battles, but roamed over the country in small 
bands. Another peace ambassador was sent out from 
Washington who was authorized to permit the Indians 
to remain in Florida. For several months a period of 
quiet ensued, while the Indians were quietly cultivating 
their crops. 

Many believed once more that the Florida War was 
Hearing an end, and the settlers began to return. That 
such a condition was not approaching was shown by the 
events that followed. Colonel Harney conducted a small 
body of troops down to Charlotte Harbor and on to the 
banks of the Caloosahatchee River, for the purpose of es- 
tablishing a trading post for the Indians who were ex- 
pected to locate there. There were twenty-six dragoons 
and several civilians in the party. The Indians in the 
neighborhood visited the camp several times in a very 
friendly manner. This was in July, 1839. On the 23rd, 
at dawn, a quarter of a thousand painted Indians under 
Bowlegs, and a couple of other chiefs, descended upon 
the camp with their war whoops and murdered all but 
six of the force. Colonel Harney himself escaped by 
swimming out to some fishing smacks in the river and 



122 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

concealing himself. This massacre occurred about 
twenty miles from the mouth of the Caloosahatchee. 

The campaigns of 1839 and 1840 were no more suc- 
cessful than those of the preceding years. It is impos- 
sible within the limited space to detail the various actions, 
for all were inconclusive. Bloodhounds were purchased 
in Cuba at one hundred and fifty dollars each and used 
to trail the Indians. Their attempt was unsuccessful, 
for the dogs had been trained to hunt negroes, and the 
scent of the Indian was different. That internal condi- 
tions were no better is shown by another tragic incident 
late in 1840. 

On the 28th of December, Lieutenant Sherwood 
started from the military post at Micanopy with a small 
company to escort the wife of Major Montgomery to 
an adjoining post a few miles away. They were attacked 
by a large party of Indians lying in ambush, in which 
engagement several of the soldiers and Mrs. Montgomery 
were killed. One of the leaders of this band of Indians 
was Cosa-Tustenuggee. Fearing the consequence of this 
affair, this chief and his band prepared to surrender, 
and, while on their way, were captured by a detach- 
ment of soldiers who brought them in and tliey were 
shortly afterwards sent to Arkansas. 

At this time the Indians were occupying practically 
all of the territory from the Okefinokee swamp to the 
Everglades. Billy Bowlegs, the Prophet, Hospetarkee 
and Shiver and Shakes were the chiefs of a large party 
of Seminoles who occupied the country south of Pease 
Creek. In December, 1840, Colonel Harney led an 
expedition of one hundred men into this region. They 
traveled in canoes and created much alarm among the 
Indians dwelling there. Chekika, a chief, was overtaken 
and killed, and a half dozen of his companions were 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 123 

hung. The summary punishment inflicted by this of- 
ficer upon the Indians alarmed them, and they resorted 
to their old expedient of having a " talk." SuppHes of 
clothing and food were granted, while the delay enabled 
them to plant and harvest their crops. After this was 
accomplished, they again disappeared. Echo-E-Mathlar, 
the Tallahassee chief, with sixty of his band were secured 
by Major Belknap on the Suwanee River and sent west. 
Five years had now elapsed since the beginning of the 
Florida War. The powerful government of the United 
States was still baffled and almost humiliated by a tribe 
of Indians numbering not many hundreds. It was only 
natural that severe criticism and wholesale censure fell 
upon the officials. Those who knew the least were bold- 
est in their criticisms. It is true that the policy of the 
government had been very uncertain, for an olive branch 
was held out at one time and wholesale destruction was 
threatened at another. Operations were resumed against 
the hostiles in January, 1841. Colonel Worth who was 
in command of the Tampa district, sent a message to 
Coacoochee, the most active and enterprising of the 
chiefs. The Indian appeared a few days afterwards 
at Worth's camp near the Kissimmee, arrayed in a gor- 
geous theatrical costume which had been secured from a 
company of actors several months before near St. 
Augustine. He agreed to consult his followers and re- 
turn in ten days. This he did, but insisted on a personal 
meeting with General Armistead. He then asked to have 
a day appointed for his people to assemble. It was 
agreed that he should bring his band into Fort Pierce, 
on the Indian River. Before the time appointed, he 
visited the fort several times and expressed great anxiety 
to emigrate. He requested large requisitions of whiskey 
and provisions for a council, which he said was to meet 



124 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

at Lake Okeechobee. Scenting a deceptive scheme, 
Major Childs ordered the chief to be seized and held. 
Halleck-Tustenuggee, who operated around the Ockla- 
waha region, soHcited food, and upon being refused left 
in his trail sixty sticks, painted with blood, which repre- 
sented the number of his band. 

The end of the season's fighting left matters in a con- 
dition little better than at the close of the previous year. 
The commanding general. General Armistead, now asked 
to be relieved of his command, and General William J. 
Worth succeeded him. This made the eighth change of 
commanders since the beginning of the war. General 
Worth proved to be the right man for the place. The 
Indians had now adopted the plan of concealing them- 
selves in swamps and in the most hidden passes, from 
which lairs they sallied forth in small bands attacking 
and murdering whenever it was possible. From the fast- 
nesses of the Everglades they could issue forth upon 
long expeditions for murder and rapine. General Worth 
succeeded to the command on the last day of May. This 
was the period of the year when operations had been 
halted by previous commanders, because of the summer 
season. He at once adopted a different policy, and his 
headquarters were established at Fort King. 

Learning that Coacoochee had been sent to Arkansas, 
General Worth sent an official to New Orleans to inter- 
cept the vessel and bring back this chief, whom he desired 
to make use of. The chief was pleased and promised to 
bring in his whole band. As soon as he learned that 
Coachoochee had reached Tampa, General Worth pro- 
ceeded there to interview him. He found the chief in 
irons on board a transport. In a flattering way the 
general complimented Coacoochee on his heroic defense, 
and declared himself to be the friend of the Seminole. 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 125 

He told him to select three or five of his followers to 
carry a " talk " back to his followers, and they should 
be granted as much time as was needed for their return. 
" Unless they fulfill your demand, however," said the 
general, " yourself and these warriors now seated be- 
fore us shall be hung to the yards of this vessel when 
the sun sets on the day appointed, with the irons upon 
your hands and feet." Coacoochee replied in a pleasant 
speech, but asked that the irons be removed and he him- 
self be permitted to go. 

" Look at these irons ! " said Coacoochee, " can I go 
to my warriors ? Coachoochee chained ! No ; do not ask 
me to see them. I never wish to tread upon my land 
unless I am free. If I can go to them unchained, they 
will follow me in ; but I fear they will not obey me when 
I talk to them in irons. They will say my heart is weak, 
I am afraid. Could I go free, they will surrender and 
emigrate." This was firmly refused, and the chief then 
selected his five men, who were released and permitted 
to go. 

The speech was as follows : " My feet are chained, 
but the head and heart of Coacoochee reach you. The 
great white chief (Po-car-ger) will be kind to us. He 
says when my band comes in I shall again walk my land 
free, with my band around me. He has given you forty 
days to do this business in: if you want more, say so; 
I will ask for more; if not, be true to the time. Take 
these sticks; here are thirty-nine, one for each day; 
this, much larger than the rest, with blood upon it, is 
the fortieth. When the others are thrown away and 
this only remains, say to my people that with the setting 
sun Coacoochee hangs like a dog, with none but white 
men to hear his last words. Come, then; come by the 
stars as I have led you to battle. Come, for the voice 



126 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

of Coacoochee speaks to you." In ten days six warriors, 
accompanied by a number of women and children, ar- 
rived, and small parties continued to come in until almost 
two hundred had surrendered. Coacoochee was very 
much relieved when his irons were taken off and he was 
allowed to go ashore. Three ostrich plumes hung from 
his turban, while his breast was covered with silver 
ornaments, and a red sash was wrapped around his waist, 
in which hung a scalping knife. On reaching the shore 
he gave a shrill whoop and saluted General Worth, after 
which he addressed his followers. 

The most warlike of the savages were now within 
the Big Cypress Swamp. In this morass had gathered 
a large number of desperate characters from all tribes 
and many escaped slaves. One of the most influential 
and savage of the chiefs was The Prophet, who was 
a runaway Creek. Coachoochee was anxious to take his 
brother Otulkee to the west with him. Messengers were 
sent to find him, while General Worth went on a trans- 
port to Pease Creek. He visited the camp of Hospetar- 
kee, who was there with eighteen of his followers. 
Finding that the old chief was disinclined to surrender. 
General Worth seized him and his followers. Shortly 
afterwards the remainder of his band surrendered at 
Punta Rossa. An embassy arrived from Tigertail and 
his brother, expressing themselves anxious for peace. 
The larger part of the warriors under Halleck-Tuste- 
nuggee were either captured or voluntarily surrendered. 
Communication was opened up with other chiefs. 

It was now determined by General Worth to organize 
a large force and attack the Indians in the Big Cypress 
Swamp, who were under Arpeeka and The Prophet. 
This expedition was made with great difficulty, for the 
troops were obliged to march through swamps which 



Seven Years' Conflict with the Red Man 127 

were deep with mud and water. The Indians became 
alarmed and fled, while all their crops were destroyed 
and their huts burned. The Indians had heretofore con- 
sidered their homes in this swamp secure and inaccessible, 
but they now realized that no retreat was secure under 
such an energetic commander as General Worth. Bow- 
legs and Sam Jones, who had been in the neighborhood 
of Lake Istokpoga, surrendered. In the early part of 
February, 1842, more than three hundred Indians were 
transported to Arkansas. The operations against Hal- 
leck-Tustenuggee having been unsuccessful, the chief 
was invited to come to Fort King for a conference. The 
whole band of some thirty-two warriors were there taken 
into custody. 

In February, 1842, General Worth forwarded a com- 
munication to the war department in which he stated 
that, according to information received, the number of 
Indians remaining in Florida did not exceed one hundred 
and twelve warriors, and fewer than two hundred 
women and children. He suggested that these Indians 
be allowed to remain temporarily in the peninsula, if they 
confined themselves to certain limits remote from the 
white settlements. Because of their weakness he be- 
lieved that they would continue quiet and inoffensive. 
Orders were accordingly issued in May, by President 
Tyler, in accordance with this suggestion. In August, 
General Worth issued a general order announcing that 
hostilities with the Indians had ceased; he assigned the 
Indians for their temporary occupation the territories 
outlined by a line drawn from the mouth of Pease Creek 
to the fork of its southern branch to the head of Lake 
Istokpoga; thence down the Kissimmee, thence to Lake 
Okeechobee and down through the Everglades to Shark 
River. A few days later, he gave up this command and 



128 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

proceeded to Washington, where he was praised for his 
conduct of the war and made a brevet brig-adier-general. 
A few isolated attacks by the Indians occurred after- 
wards, but the war had ended. Tigertail and his fol- 
lowers were afterwards captured and brought in. 
Pascoffer finally surrendered. Middle and West Florida 
were thus entirely free from hostile Indians, and none 
now remained in the territory, excepting the bands under 
Arpeika and Bowlegs, who were within the limits per- 
mitted. It was estimated that fewer than one hundred 
warriors were included in their bands. The others were 
all sent west to Arkansas. 

The Florida War, which may be said to have com- 
menced with the massacre of the command under Major 
Dade, on the 28th of December, 1835, ended on the 4th 
of August, 1842. This sanguinary conflict had lasted 
almost seven years, and is reported to have cost the 
United States Government a sum of money ranging from 
twenty to forty million dollars. During this time the 
troops in Florida numbered from three thousand to al- 
most nine thousand at one time. The number of deaths 
among the regular troops aggregated fourteen hundred 
and sixty-six, of whom two hundred and fifteen were 
officers, which was an unusually large proportion. More 
than twenty thousand volunteers had been called into ser- 
vice at various times. 



CHAPTER VII 

THE SEMINOLES OF TODAY 

"Blaze, with your serried columns! I will not bend the knee; 
The shackle ne'er again shall bind the arm which now is free! 
I've mailed it with the thunder, when the tempest muttered low, 
And where it falls, ye well may dread the lightning of its blow. 
I've scared you in the city; I've scalped you on the plain; 
Go, count your chosen where they fell beneath my leaden rain! 
I scorn your proffered treaty; the pale-face I defy; 
Revenge is stamped upon my spear, and 'blood' 'my battle-cry! 

" Some strike for hope of booty ; some to defend their all ; — 

I battle for the joy I have to see the white man fall. 

I love, among the wounded, to hear his dying moan, 

And catch, while chanting at his side, the music of his groan. 

Ye've trailed me through the forest; ye've tracked me o'er the 

stream. 
But I stand as should the warrior, with his rifle and his spear; 
The scalp of vengeance still is red, and warns you,— come not 

here! ^ 

"Think ye to find my homestead? — I gave it to the fire. 

My tawny household do you seek? — I am a childless sire. 

But, should ye crave life's nourishment, enough I have, and good, 

I live on hate,— 'tis all my bread ; yet light is not my food. 

I loathe you with my bosom ! I scorn you with mine eye ! 

And I'll taunt you with my latest breath, and fight you till I die! 

I ne'er will ask for quarter, and I ne'er will be your slave ; 

But I'll swim the sea of slaughter till I sink beneath the wave!" 

A LARGE part of the romantic and heroic element in 
Florida's history is contributed by the tribe of Indians 
known as the Seminoles. The youthful reader is thrilled 
by the above poem, called " The Seminole's Defiance," 
written by G. W. Patten, and the adult reader of history 

129 



130 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

has his admiration enkindled by the long and bloody 
defiance of a few hundred Seminoles against the might 
and resources of the entire United States. Although the 
Iroquois of history, as portrayed by Cooper in some of his 
romances, has lost favor somewhat among youthful hero- 
worshippers, the popular imagination is still inflamed and 
the pulse quickened by every mention of the name of 
Osceola. 

Formerly members of the great Creek nation, the 
Seminoles of Florida have lost their traditions and their 
homes, as well as their tribe. Forgotten by their own 
people, they have been practically ignored since the 
Seminole War. While some of the western Indians have 
become rich through the generosity of the government, 
scarcely a dollar has reached the pockets of the wandering 
Seminoles down in the inhospitable Everglades. The his- 
tory of these Seminoles of Florida dates from about the 
year 1750. At that time a few hundred Creeks of Geor- 
gia, becoming dissatisfied with that tribe, left Georgia and 
wandered south into the swamps and forests of the 
Florida peninsula. The name Seminole was given to 
them, and the word in the Indian dialect means " wild 
wanderers," or " runaways." Secoffee was their leader 
at that time, and he conducted them into the Spanish 
colony of Florida, where they sought the protection of 
the Spaniards. From that time they absolutely refused 
to be represented in the councils of the Creeks. They 
elected their own rulers and became in all respects a sep- 
arate tribe. They settled first in the rich country around 
Alachua. This chief left two sons, called Payne and 
Bowlegs. In 1809 another dissatisfied band of Creeks 
settled in the vicinity of Tallahassee. Here they became 
amalgamated with the remaining Mickasukies, who were 
the legitimate owners of the soil. Secoffee died in 1785 



The Seminoles of Today 131 

at an advanced age, and was buried where Fort King was 
afterwards established. He was one of the very able 
men produced by that tribe. 

Of the country inhabited by the Seminoles, William 
Bartram, a celebrated botanist, wrote as follows, in 1773 : 
** They possess all of East Florida and a large part of 
West Florida, countries which, divided as they are by 
nature into innumerable islands, hills, and marshes, 
marked with many rivers, lakes, streams, and vast 
prairies, ofTer such a number of desirable localities con- 
venient for settlement and inaccessible to enemies. This 
country, so irregular in its form, and so well watered, fur- 
nishes, besides, so great a quantity of the means of sub- 
sistence of wild animals, that I do not hesitate to say that 
no part of the world contains so much game, and so many 
animals suitable for the support of man. 

" Surrounded with this great abundance, guaranteed 
from all extraneous attacks, the inhabitants of this region 
possess the two great requirements for men in their union 
as a society, security for person and for property. With 
the skins of the deer, the bear, the tiger, and the wolf, 
they purchase from the traders clothing and other neces- 
sary articles. They have no wishes to gratify, or wants 
for which they are required to provide; no enemies to 
fear, no disquietudes, unless such as they may entertain 
from the continual progress of the white settlements. 
Content and tranquil, they seem as free from care as the 
birds of the air ; Hke them they are light and volatile, like 
them they sing and coo. The Seminole presents the pic- 
ture of perfect happiness. The joy, the internal content, 
the tender love, and the generous friendship, are im- 
printed on his very countenance; they show themselves 
in his demeanor and in his gestures; they seem to form 
his habitual state of existence, and to be a part of his 



132 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

nature, for their impress only departs from him with 
Hfe." 

It was not many years after the Seminole migration 
to Florida that there arose a great deal of friction between 
England and her colonists and the Spanish colonial 
rulers. The wilds of that peninsula lured fugitive slaves 
from the southern states. These fugitives established 
friendly relations with the Seminoles. Some of them 
intermarried with the Indians, and others became their 
nominal slaves. At any rate, the bonds and ties between 
the two races became such that afterwards the Indians 
refused to enter into any treaty, which did not at the 
same time provide protection for the black people. The 
Creeks had agreed to restore all the slaves who had taken 
refuge among them, but the Seminoles refused to recog- 
nize this treaty, and considered themselves subject only 
to the crown of Spain. 

When the situation first aroused the American colo- 
nists, orders were issued that Great Britain should make 
a decided effort to rescue the runaway slaves. Some of 
the colonists attempted to take matters into their hands, 
but their efforts met with defeat. Hence it was that 
these Seminoles and their black allies enjoyed prosperity, 
cultivated their fields and told their traditions around the 
peaceful camp fires for several decades in comparative 
immunity. The succeeding events in the relations be- 
tween the government of the United States and the 
Seminoles, and an account of the bloody warfare waged 
between the two, is related at considerable length in the 
preceding chapter. 

If you should attempt an exploring expedition through 
the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp, you might en- 
counter a Seminole and you might not. A few hundred 
Indians scattered over a region of several thousand square 



The Seminoles of Today 133 

miles do not make a very big showing. Furthermore, he 
would doubtless conceal himself if he sighted you first, 
which would probably be the case. You might find either 
an occupied or an abandoned hut on one of the islands, 
or hammocks, with a woman or two and a few pickanin- 
nies in sight — but that is about as much evidence of oc- 
cupation as you would discover in the course of an ex- 
tensive journey. 

Today the Seminoles occupy a unique position in the 
United States. They are still unconquered and unsub- 
dued, and have never acknowledged formal allegiance to 
the national government. When the main body was re- 
moved west during and at the close of the Florida War, 
a couple of hundred, or thereabouts, concealed themselves 
in the Everglades, and refused to yield, and thus lost all 
legal existence. There are probably five or six hundred 
Seminoles in Florida today, though one of their chiefs 
declared to me that there were not more than four hun- 
dred and sixty left. A first-class accident on a railroad 
or steamer, a cave-in of a mine or the burning of a 
theatre among our own people will show a greater casu- 
alty list. During a single hunting season in our northern 
woods the hunters kill more of their own kind than the 
total number of surviving Seminoles — bucks, squaws 
and pickaninnies. One of the greatest enemies of the 
tribe is the measles — ordinarily a mild disease. Down 
here, however, where sanitation is unknown, it spreads, 
and if the disease itself is not suf^cient to kill, the medi- 
cine man puts in the finishing strokes with his mummery. 

Most of the Seminoles show more or less intimacy with 
the Caucasians. Those who visit the towns will usually 
talk guardedly and pretend little knowledge of English. 
They are ever taciturn and alert, and suspicious of the 
white man. " Me don't know," or some similarly indefi- 



134 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

nite expression is the usual answer. After saying that 
much the Indian is very Hkely to walk away and leave his 
questioner wondering. I was especially fortunate in 
meeting one of the principal chiefs under circumstances 
which removed all suspicion and having a really good talk 
with him. He was a young man and spoke English very 
well, and was even then attending school at Fort Lauder- 
dale. There are four bands or tribes which remain 
separate, but on the most friendly terms. Those are the 
Big Cypress, the Miami, the Okeechobees and the Talla- 
hassees. In physical appearance many of the men are 
splendid types of manhood. They are fairly tall, well 
proportioned and with good carriage. Their features 
are regular, the complexion very dark, the eyes black and 
piercing. Those living near Fort Lauderdale are some- 
what more progressive than some of the others. They 
have been forced by circumstances to seek employment 
and occasionally work on the truck farms there and at 
Miami, and it is said that they make fairly good laborers. 
But most of the tribe still look upon such employment 
with a haughty disdain. 

The dress of the Seminoles is in some respects quite 
striking. The squaws are generally attired in a very 
tasteful and modest manner. Their straight and full 
skirts, made of blue or brown calico and bound with 
bright red or yellow bands, are stitched in odd designs 
and reach to the ankles. Their little Zouave jackets are 
fitted with long sleeves, and are made of bright-colored 
calico, which sometimes fails to reach the skirt belt by a 
couple of inches. Their most cherished ornaments are 
strings of colored beads. Of these they are very particu- 
lar about the kind. They must be about the size of a 
small pea, and the colors preferred are turquoise blue and 
a light red. Nothing else is so valued a= these, for they 



The Seminoles of Today 135 

are worn as a badge of distinction. To these dusky- 
maids and dames of the Everglades they mean every- 
thing. A string is given to the girl baby on her first birth- 
day, if not earlier. On every great event in her life more 
strings are added, but in old age some are removed. 
Some women have been known to carry as much as 
twenty-five pounds of these beads around their necks, 
and, as they remain all the time, it must be rather a heavy 
burden to carry. Even quite little girls wear several 
small strings of the much-prized beads. No head cover- 
ing of any sort is worn, and they always go barefooted, 
even on the occasion of the greatest social affair. Jewelry 
is sometimes worn, for the desire for personal adornment 
is not entirely absent. Silver coins are frequently beaten 
into various designs and fashioned into jewelry. 

Although many of the men now dress in hand-me-down 
clothes purchased at the stores, quite a number still attire 
themselves in the old Seminole manner. This is a tunic 
tied on with a bright sash and close-fitting leggings of 
deerskin. This makes the wearer very gorgeous, with 
his dried-skin leggings, moccasins, white shirt and red 
turban. The headdress is one of the most characteristic 
features of costume of the men. The turban is made of 
a shawl, or a multitude of handkerchiefs, which is twisted 
around a frame, and is Oriental in its effect. It is kept 
in shape by a band encircling the whole, which is fre- 
quently made of beaten silver. The more important the 
occasion, the larger the turban. It is sometimes un- 
wound at night and the shawl used as a covering. The 
■bright colors are said to have a special value in attracting 
the attention of the deer when on a hunt. Another of 
the peculiarities quite noticeable is the number of shirts 
and handkerchiefs that are frequently worn at the same 
time. A half dozen shirts on his back at one time is noth- 



136 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 



ing unusual, and as many as a dozen gaudy handkerchiefs 
may be looped around his neck. A belt of buckskin, in 
which are suspended a hunting knife, a revolver and am- 
munition pouch, completes the usual outfit. The hair is 
generally cut short, with the exception of a straight band. 
The women, as a rule, wear their hair drawn into a knot, 
and also have the band. Silver earrings are generally 
worn by both men and women, and even children. 

Each Seminole has his Indian name, which is signifi- 
cant of some family to which he belongs. The names by 
which they are known among white people are different. 
Among these we find Billy Bowlegs, Jack Tigertail, 
Charley Osceola, Little Doctor, Charley Tiger, etc. The 
language is extremely poetical, as are most Indian 
tongues. Many of the words are very long, and some of 
the expressions are exceedingly queer. It is eloquent, 
however, as has been evidenced by their speeches made to 
white men in negotiations that have taken place. That 
the words are picturesque is shown by the names of the 
rivers, lakes, etc. Okeechobee means " the place of the 
big water," Withlacoochee signifies "little big river," 
Alachua " the big jug without a bottom," We-kiva is 
translated " mystery," etc. Some of their words are very 
long and in translation make phrases. It would starde 
some of us to be greeted with the expression Ha-tee-eten- 
chee-hick-cha-hit-is-chay — and yet it simply means 
" Glad to see you." It seems to me that the speaker 
would experience a sense of relief after he had once got 
it out of ^his mouth. 

It is the characteristic of the Seminoles to establish 
their homes away in some secluded and isolated spot, 
where the white man would least expect to find them. 
The colonies generally consist of five or six families, and 
there will be four or five buildings. Fertile hammocks 



The Seminoles of Today 137 

are found in the wastes of water and sawgrass, where they 
have their habitations. A Httle clearing will be made in 
which the thatched huts are built and the scanty supplies 
of corn, squash, sweet potatoes and sugar cane raised. 
Chickens and razor-back pigs will be seen running wild, 
for they demand little care. The hum of the sewing ma- 
chine will also be heard out here in these rudest of huts, 
which are little more than a thatched roof supported on 
poles. A Seminole hut consists simply of six upright 
poles supporting a gable roof of palmetto thatch, which 
reaches to within a few feet of the ground. A platform 
a little above the ground is where all the family eat and 
sleep and live. Here are crowded all their belongings. 
It is seldom that the sides are enclosed. In the center of 
the settlement will be the cooking camp. Here is a camp- 
fire from which logs of wood radiate like spokes from 
the hub of a wheel. As the ends of the logs are burned 
away, they are shoved in toward the center in order to 
keep the fire alive. In these camps they live as their 
fathers lived before them, little changed from the time of 
Ponce de Leon and De Soto. 

The Indians are very hospitable and will welcome any- 
one to the dinner table, but the food and manner of eating 
it will not render it palatable. The standard dish of the 
Everglades is sofka. It is a meat stew made by cooking 
meat in a large kettle and thickening it with vegetables 
and meal. In the kettle is placed the sofka spoon, which 
is handed around to the diners in turn, each one taking 
a single mouthful. If you prefer to, you may reach in 
with your fingers and help yourself. Our ancestors un- 
doubtedly did this, for fingers existed long before knives 
and forks and spoons, but such a custom certainly does 
not appeal to the fastidious person of today, and it does 
not harmonize with modern ideas of sanitation. Al- 



138 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

though meal hours are quite generally observed, yet the 
kettle of sofka may be prepared at almost any time, when 
food is unusually plentiful. Anyone in the camp is free 
then to go and help himself as long as there is anything 
left in it. Few earthen pots will be found in a Seminole 
camp, for the white man's kettles seem to answer the pur- 
pose very well in the eyes of the Seminole cooks. With 
a very few innovations we find these dark-skinned abo- 
rigines little changed from the time when the Spaniards 
first intruded on their isolation. A " big hunt " is in- 
dulged in occasionally, which sometimes lasts several 
weeks. Syrup boiling is also an occasion for a gathering 
together and a celebration. At other times they assemble 
to make a large quantity of flour from the wild cassava 
root, called by them koonti. 

The selling of alligator hides has been one of the chief 
sources of income for the Seminoles for many years. A 
seven- foot hide would bring in the neighborhood of one 
dollar. But the securing of the hides is an easy matter. 
A searchlight and a gun are all that are needed. With 
a bull's-eye lantern affixed in his cap, and a man to pole 
the boat, everything is ready. A big alligator can be dis- 
tinguished from a small one by the distance between the 
eyes. The boat is silently propelled to within a few feet 
of the saurian, and a well-directed shot from the hunter 
ends all troubles for the clumsy denizen of the Ever- 
glades. Otters were formerly very plentiful and their 
skins added to the Indian's revenue, but they have like- 
wise become scarce. Another profitable occupation a few 
years ago was the securing of the beautiful plumes of the 
egret. In this destruction of these beautiful and harm- 
less birds, we cannot blame the poor or needy Seminoles 
so much as the thoughtlessness of the civilized women 
who were so willing and anxious to possess them. 



The Seminoles of Today 139 

The Seminoles have a number of tribal ceremonies. 
One of these is the corn dance, which occurs at the time 
of the new moon in June. This is the occasion for the 
assembling of the entire band. It is largely under the 
control of the medicine men, who are important per- 
sonages. Of it, Mrs. Moore-Willson says: " The feast 
is for sorrowing, rejoicing and purifying. This is the 
beginning of the New Year when, following the traditions 
of ancient people, old fires are allowed to go out, not a 
spark is allowed to remain. New fire is produced arti- 
ficially ; this is the Sacred Fire and must be made with the 
flint rock of their ancestors. The new fire is presented 
from one tribe to another, and is received as a token of 
friendship. Then they assemble around the fires singing 
and dancing. Gratitude is expressed to the Great Spirit, 
if the year has been abundant. If death has overtaken 
the tribe, mournful strains expressive of pity and suppli- 
cation are invoked. This custom was borrowed from the 
ancient tribes who worshipped the sun. The Medicine 
Men arrange the date for the Green Corn Dance, which is 
governed by a certain phase of the moon, and runners are 
sent from band to band to announce the time. 

" The Ceremony preceding the dance permits all men 
who have evaded the laws to be reinstated by indulging in 
certain trying ordeals. The transgressors appear a short 
time before the dance. They are placed in a closed skin 
tent where a large hot stone lies on the fire. The famous 
Black Drink of Osceola's time is administered, water is 
poured on the stone, and the culprits are shut up in this 
suffocating heat. If they pass the ordeal, they are for- 
given and allowed to join in the feasting and dancing 
when it occurs. This same Black Drink, which is a 
nauseating medicine from herbs, is taken by all the tribe 
on the first day of the dance. This cleanses the system 



140 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

and enables them to * eat, drink, and be merry ' to the 
fullest extent." 

One of the most picturesque games enjoyed by the 
Indians during this festival is the dancing around the 
festal pole. On the night of the full moon they dance 
from sunset until sunrise. It is very interesting to see 
the harmony in running around the circle. As the 
v^romen throw the ball at the pole in the center the men 
catch it in their bags that are made around bent sticks, 
which have bows each about four inches in diameter, with 
a cross at the lower side. The dancing is very ordinary. 
That of the squaws consists of little more than a per- 
functory rising and sinking motion caused by the bending 
of the knees. The men vary this by jumping up and 
down. Divorce is an easy matter, for incompatibility of 
temper is a sufficient cause. Either party is free to 
marry again, but the approval of the elders is usually 
sought and that is easy to obtain. 

Parental affection is strong in the heart of the Semi- 
nole. The following incident related by a missionary is 
taken from Mrs. Moore-Willson's " The Seminoles of 
Florida " : " Tallahassee's wife had recently died, leav- 
ing him with the care of six boys ; but the strong Indian 
had apparently become mother and father to his children. 
Especially did he throw a tender care about the little one 
of his household. I have seen the little fellow clamber- 
ing, just like many a little paleface, over his father's 
knees persistently demanding attention, but in no way dis- 
turbing the father's amiability or serenity. One night, 
as I sat by the camp fire of Tallahassee's lodge, I heard 
muffled moans from the little palmetto shelter on my right, 
under which the three smaller boys were bundled up in 
cotton cloth in deer skins for the night's sleep. Upon the 
moans followed immediately the frightened cry of the 



The Seminoles of Today 141 

little boy, waking out of bad dreams, and crying for the 
mother who could not answer; ' Its-Ki, Its-Ki ' (mother, 
mother), begged the little fellow, struggling from under 
his covering. At once the big Indian grasped his child, 
hugged him to his breast, pressed the little head to his 
cheek, consoling him all the while with caressing words, 
whose meaning I felt, though I could not translate them 
into English, until the boy, wide awake, laughed with his 
father and was ready to be again rolled up beside his 
sleeping brothers." 

The tribal organization of the Florida Seminoles is 
very loose, but it seems to be efficient. The Indians are 
divided into camps, consisting of only a few families, 
but in each camp the word of the chief is absolute. The 
general policy of the tribe is dictated by a few of the 
older chieftains. So accustomed are the tribes to obey 
the chiefs that an Indian sentenced to death has been 
known to be given permission to go to town for a few 
days, or on a visit to relatives, and he never fails to return 
on the day appointed for him to be chief figure in the 
execution. It is true that the Seminole, like the Western 
Indian, has acquired a great liking for the white man's 
firewater. When under its influence he is quarrelsome 
and murders are not uncommon, but the victims are mem- 
bers of his own tribe. If a band is going on a deliberate 
spree, one of them is selected who must remain sober and 
stand guard over all weapons to guard against harm com- 
ing to any member of the tribe. Notwithstanding this, 
however, he is a good deal of a man and has preserved 
much of the dignity of his ancestors. The morals of the 
tribe are fairly good, for a breach of morality is punished 
severely. 

The nation certainly owes a great deal to its wards 
down here in the Everglades. It is too late to remedy 



142 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

the injustice of the past entirely, but something substan- 
tial should be done as a measure of justice to the rem- 
nants of the tribe. The Seminole is beset and besieged 
from all sides. Surveying parties are traversing the Big 
Cypress Swamp and selling lands off for fruit growers 
or the cultivators of the soil. Hunters swarm over their 
preserves in increasing numbers. The state is energeti- 
cally going ahead with its reclamation projects. The 
Indian might exist without clothing, but food is just as 
necessary with them as with the Caucasian. 

As the Seminole sees the water in the Everglades slip- 
ping away from him through the efforts of the drainage 
commission, he is disturbed about the future. The lower- 
ing of the waters means the eventual disappearance of the 
game which has heretofore furnished his livelihood. 
Millions of dollars have been given in one way and an- 
other to the Western Indians, but nothing has been con- 
ceded to these, because they have been too proud to ask 
for it. About 1892 an agency was established near Fort 
Myers, at some distance from the Seminole camps. An 
appropriation of six thousand dollars was made, but the 
effort was a failure. They were still afraid of the mo- 
tives of the government. The general opinion among 
the Seminoles has been that the white man is ho-lo- 
wa-gus (no good), and lox-ee-o-jus (lie too much). 
Now they are in a receptive mood and would gladly accept 
aid from the government. It should not be a niggardly 
sum, but should be something commensurate with the 
great financial resources of the government. 

A generous Indian reservation in the Everglades should 
be set off to these people, which would be simply a meas- 
ure of justice to the Indians and not be any injustice 
toward the white man. This should be made to include 
a section of the Big Cypress Swamp, some prairie land, 



The Seminoles of Today 143 

and also a bay on the coast which would give them a 
supply of fish. Out of these boundaries the white hunt- 
ers and traders should be kept, and the bootlegger should 
also be advised to give it a wide berth. A grant of money 
ought to be included to aid the Seminoles in the work of 
agriculture, or to give them a start in the raising of stock. 
To remove them from their tropical homes to a land 
swept by the chilling northern blasts would be an act of 
genuine cruelty. 



CHAPTER VIII 

ACROSS NORTHERN FLORIDA 

It was on one of the early days of October, 1528, that 
a fleet of five small and crude vessels might have been 
seen skirting the Gulf shore in the neighborhood of 
Pensacola. The sails were a curious patchwork of gar- 
ments utilized for this purpose, while the tails and manes 
of horses had formed the necessary cordage. They were 
probably the first vessels constructed within the limits of 
the United States. The vessels were loaded so heavily 
that they stood above the water only a few inches. The 
cargo consisted of some two hundred and forty human 
beings, greatly worn by exposure and fatigue and priva- 
tion. The commander was a tall, one-eyed man, " with 
a voice deep and sonorous as though it came from a 
cavern." The name of this commander was Don Panfilo 
de Narvaez, a captain-general in the Spanish army. 

The expedition of De Narvaez landed on Santa Rosa 
Island, and these Spaniards were doubtless the first white 
men to set foot on the shores of Pensacola Bay. His 
improvised fleet had been constructed after the original 
caravels had disappeared. He was now on his way to 
Mexico. The commander lost his life at sea, as has been 
related elsewhere, famine pursued the others, and only 
four reached Mexico after undergoing untold hardship. 
It was a dozen years before the white men again invaded 
Pensacola Bay. On this occasion it was Captain Mal- 
donado, the commander of the fleet that brought De 

144 





f i' 

Ska'- 



Across Northern Florida 145 

Soto to these shores. He bestowed upon the harbor the 
name of Puerta de Anchusi. Upon his glowing report 
De Soto decided to estabhsh it as his base of supplies. 
But he was led inland by fabulous tales of gold far to the 
northeast of Apalachee. Again was Pensacola aban- 
doned for almost a score of years. 

On the 14th of August, 1559, the fleet of Don Tristan 
de Luna, also searching for gold, cast anchor within these 
sheltered waters, which he named Santa Maria. By him 
a settlement was begun, the exact site of which is not 
accurately established. The morning chant and evening 
hymn now awakened the echoes of the forest and shore. 
To the perfume of the flowers and the exuberant vegeta- 
tion was added the odor of burning incense. Excursions 
were made into the interior in which both priest and friar 
joined. This settlement was abandoned in less than three 
years, because of the disaffection of his followers, but it 
antedated St. Augustine by several years, which is the 
reason that the Pensacolans assert theirs to be the oldest 
town in the United States. The name Santa Maria dis- 
appeared and Pensacola gradually established itself. 
Some say this was the name of a tribe of Indians who 
formerly lived here but had been entirely exterminated, 
while others attribute the name to an alteration of Penis- 
cola, a small Spanish seaport. The name is evidently 
Spanish rather than Indian, when compared with other 
Indian names of this vicinity. 

It was in 1696 that formal possession of this bay and 
coast was taken by Don Andres d'Arriola, with three 
hundred soldiers. To render his hold more effectual, 
he constructed a " square fort with bastions," which he 
named San Carlos in honor of Charles XI of Spain. 
Some houses were erected near it and also a church. 
This was near the present Fort Barrancas. The early 



146 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

colonists were not exemplary citizens, for many of them 
were former convicts and malefactors. About this time 
French settlements were springing up along the coast 
further to the west, but the relations of the colonies were 
generally friendly. When war was declared between 
France and Spain, in 17 19, a French expedition under 
Bienville attacked Pensacola by both land and water and 
captured it without a struggle. Using some French ves- 
sels as decoys, the Spaniards returned and captured 
Pensacola after a brief cannonade. The Spaniards now 
erected a new fort on Santa Rosa Island, which they 
named Principe d'Asturias. A few weeks later Bien- 
ville returned with augmented forces and some French 
navy boats, and it was again surrendered to the French. 
Pensacola was now burned and San Carlos was blown up 
with powder. Upon the ruins w^as placed a tablet an- 
nouncing: " In the year 1718, on the eighteenth of Sep- 
tember, Monsieur Desnard de Champeslin, Commander 
of His Most Christian Majesty, captured this place and 
the island of Santa Rosa by force of arms." Then 
again did Pensacola disappear from the map. A couple 
of years later peace followed between France and Spain, 
and Pensacola was restored to her former owner. 

Santa Rosa is a long and narrow sandy island separated 
from the mainland by about three miles of water. Here 
the next settlement was established, because its isolation 
seemed to promise security. Within the next quarter of 
a century this settlement increased considerably, but the 
town was destroyed by a hurricane in 1754, in which 
many of the inhabitants lost their lives. The survivors 
settled on the north shore of tlie bay, the site of the pres- 
ent city. 

The prosperity of Pensacola dates from its transfer 
to British sovereignty in 1763. On July 6th of that 



Across Northern Florida 147 

year, Captain Wills was ordered here with his forces 
from Havana to take formal possession. Most of the 
Spanish settlers removed to Mexico. Captain Wills 
wrote that there were " 40 huts thatched with palmetto 
leaves, and barracks for a small garrison, the whole sur- 
rounded by a stockade of pine posts. . . . The country 
from the insuperable laziness of the Spaniards still re- 
mains uncultivated. . . . The Indians are numerous 
around. We had within a few days a visit from about 
two hundred of five different nations." As France had 
ceded to Great Britain that part of Louisiana west of 
the Mississippi, Pensacola was now established as the 
center of administration for West Florida by royal de- 
cree. In February, 1764, the new governor arrived, to- 
gether with soldiers and other officials. Glowing reports 
were promulgated which set flowing a tide of immigra- 
tion. The whites brought in negro slaves to aid in the 
work of clearing up the forests and building the city. 

Pensacola was officially surveyed by Governor John- 
ston. The main street was named after George III, and 
the next street was designated Charlotte, in honor of the 
queen. The lots were generous in size, and a garden lot 
was permitted to each purchaser. A small fort was 
erected in the center of the public park as a refuge in case 
of attack by the savages. Work was begun in the drain- 
ing of the Titi Swamp, because of the great amount of 
sickness that arose from it. The surrounding forest now 
began to give way to smiling gardens. Peter Chester 
succeeded Governor Johnston as executive in 1772. A 
fort was built on Gage Hill and named Fort George. It 
was a quadrangle, with bastions on each corner. A bat- 
tery and barracks were constructed on Tartar Point, now 
the site of the navy yard. A popular assembly was in- 
stituted by Governor Chester and elections were held. 



148 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

It is amusing to read local annals of distant settlements 
such as Pensacola. Petty gossip and mutual recrimina- 
tions fill a large space, but they illustrate forcibly the 
weaknesses and infirmities of poor human nature. Exiled 
so far from home, they seize upon and exaggerate the 
little things. An interesting sidelight is thrown upon life 
in Pensacola in 1770, from a letter written in that year 
by an English officer : " Affairs in our unlucky province 
have as yet been upon a very unstable footing. Whether 
this ill fate is still doomed to be our lot or whether we are 
about to emerge from such unhappy circumstances, a 
little time will discover. Pensacola has been justly famed 
for vexatious lawsuits. It is contrived, indeed, that if a 
poor man owes but five pounds, and has not got so much 
ready money, or if he disputes some dollars of imposi- 
tion that may be in the account, or if he is guilty of shak- 
ing his fist at any rascal that has abused him, he is sure 
to be prosecuted ; and the costs for every suit are about 
seven pounds sterling. I have known this province for a 
little more than four years, yet I could name to you a set 
of men who may brag of one governor resigned, one 
horse-whipped and one whom they led by the nose and 
supported while it suited their purpose and then betrayed 
him. What the next turn of affairs will be, God knows." 

An eminent naturalist, who visited Pensacola in 1778, 
says that " there were at that time some hundreds of 
houses. The palace of Governor Chester was a large 
stone edifice, surmounted with a tower, which had been 
built by the Spaniards. The city was defended by a large 
fortress, the plan of which was a tetragon, having at each 
corner a salient angle, and a small round tower was ele- 
vated one story above the curtains, upon which were 
placed the smaller cannon. The fort was constructed of 
timber; there were contained with the walls the council 



Across Northern Florida 149 

chamber; office of records, an arsenal, and magazine, with 
lodgings for the garrison. There were in the city many- 
merchants and professional gentlemen, who occupied 
well-built houses, A fort also existed on the point of 
Santa-Rosa Island which defended the entrance to the 
harbor." 

Pensacola began to grow, and more so as the American 
Revolution succeeded. Many Tories from the Thirteen 
Colonies fled to East and West Florida. William Pan- 
ton, senior member of Panton, Leslie & Co., a wealthy 
Scotch house, came here and established a branch. The 
business of the firm increased year by year. Their trade 
with the Indians extended as far as Tennessee. Their 
pack horses went out in all directions, carrying goods to 
the Indian and bringing back skins, honey, beeswax, 
dried venison, peltries, etc. One driver for ten animals 
was the usual custom. Companies of five or ten drivers 
usually traveled together. They were generally brave 
and jolly fellows, whose visits were welcomed. From 
1772 to 1 78 1 are probably the most prosperous years that 
Pensacola ever witnessed prior to recent years. Because 
of this prosperity Spain again coveted this harbor and 
this coast. Great Britain had her hands full with her 
other colonies. A Spanish fleet approached Pensacola 
under Admiral Solana, and Fort George was beseiged 
from the land until it finally capitulated. For the siege 
the Spaniards erected Fort San Bernardo. West Florida 
once more came under Spanish rule, and the Gulf coast 
was again under Spanish domination. Most of the 
British inhabitants left, because Spain did not encourage 
or even desire Protestant subjects. 

With its return to Spain, Pensacola's prestige and pros- 
perity waned. The Perdido River, not far from Pensa- 
cola, became the western limit of West Florida. Instead 



150 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

of the capital of a vast empire reaching to the Mississippi, 
she became simply the chief city of a narrow strip between 
the Perdido and Appalachicola rivers. The population 
diminished, and its commercial importance dwindled. 
The merchant, William Panton, remained, and apostacy 
was not required of him. His houses were awarded a 
monopoly of the Indian trade. A treaty was made with 
him which recognized the merchant almost as a quasi- 
sovereign, because of his great influence with the aborig- 
ines. A town was laid out near Fort San Carlos, which 
was intended to supersede Pensacola, but the attempt did 
not succeed. The plan of the city was changed, and the 
great part subdivided into lots. Spanish names were sub- 
stituted for the English designations of streets. The 
principal thoroughfare was called Palafox, after Jose de 
Palafox. Zaragoza was named after a Spanish city. 
Baylen is indebted for its title to a small Spanish town, 
and Romana bears the name of an illustrious Spanish 
general. Alcaniz is a reminder of Spanish glory — a 
town where a victory was won over the French. Terra- 
gona commemorated a great siege. The Plaza was 
named after Ferdinand VII. 

The Spaniards were rather hostile to the Americans in 
the War of 1812, because of boundary disputes. For 
this reason Pensacola was permitted to the British as a 
base of supplies for hostile Indians. A British fleet also 
made it its headquarters. Then it was that " Old Hick- 
ory " marched there and captured the town in November, 
1812. After he left to defend New Orleans, Pensacola 
again became a rallying place for filibusters, runaway 
slaves, British agents, etc. In every way it was a lawless 
and disorderly place. Jackson again captured it during 
the Seminole War of 18 18. It was natural that he should 
become the first provisional governor, after its acquisi- 



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Across Northern Florida 151 



tion in 1819, and it was here that the Spanish Governor 
pubHcly transferred its sovereignty to the United States. 

Akhough comparatively few visitors are attracted to 
Pensacola today, it is, from an historical standpoint, ex- 
ceeded in interest by St. Augustine only. It is for this 
reason that I have recapitulated some of the history that 
appears elsewhere in a more elaborate way. Few re- 
minders of the many vicissitudes through which she has 
passed will be seen in the Pensacola of today. It is 
principally a modern city that is viewed. The oldest 
structure yet remaining is a part of the kitchen and store- 
house of the Scotch merchant, William Panton. The 
new streets are laid out on a generous scale, and several 
broad boulevards bisect the city, which give it a very at- 
tractive appearance. Modern buildings have been con- 
structed to accommodate the offices and business houses. 

Pensacola boasts of its harbor, and not without reason. 
It is said to be the finest and safest harbor on the Gulf, 
because it is land-locked, since Santa Rosa, a long narrow 
neck of sand, protects its waters from the storms of the 
open water beyond. Pensacola Bay is a beautiful stretch 
of water thirty-seven miles long and with an average 
width of three miles. The United States has made it a 
naval base, and many warships are sheltered here at all 
times. The naval yards are situated a few miles from 
the city, and just beyond is Fort Barrancas. On the is- 
land is Fort Pickens, over which the Confederate flag 
never flew, although besieged -by a strong Confederate 
force which had possession of the town and naval yard. 
In all, three forts guard the harbor. Army and navy 
uniforms are very common on the streets, and especially 
so since the United States enlisted in the Great War on 
the side of liberty. 

Pensacola is one of the three greatest naval store cen- 



152 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

ters in the country, and thousands of barrels of these 
valuable pine products are stored here at all times. It is 
likewise a great fish market. Scores of boats sail several 
hundred miles to the red snapper banks near Yucatan. 
It frequently requires a voyage of over three weeks, but 
they will bring back a cargo of from fifteen to twenty 
tons of fish. Then the money flows freely when the men 
get ashore. Nine men usually make up a crew, and the 
fish, which weigh from eight to forty pounds, are all 
caught by hand, for nets are not used. Fishing is some- 
times done in fifty or sixty fathoms of water, and it re- 
quires real work to pull up so many thousands of pounds 
of fish hand over hand from so great a depth. They may 
fish for days without a bite, and then may get several 
thousand without a halt. The red snapper and grupers 
run together in schools, but the former is the more valu- 
able. The catches of the two fish will average nearly the 
same in quantity. The men are pleased if they receive 
forty or fifty dollars each, which is not very big pay. 

" Yes, it is good sport," said one, " especially if you get 
a big jewfish that weighs several hundred pounds on your 
hook, but we really get tired pulling them up." 

" I suppose you have fresh fish every meal," I said. 

" No, indeed, for we prefer beef. We may have fish 
half a dozen times on the trip. We live on the best of the 
land." 

The journey across Florida from Pensacola to Jackson- 
ville is a long one. If it is the first visit to the state, the 
visitor's eyes are opened to the fact that distances in 
Florida are extensive and journeys require time. It is 
three hundred and seventy miles by railroad, and the 
trains are not record breakers for speed. But there is 
much to see and considerable variation is revealed, while 
schedule time seems to be more or less of a formality. 



Across Northern Florida 153 

Much of it is absolutely unimproved, and the timber in- 
dustry is still thriving. It is the coldest section of 
Florida. This is due both to the greater elevation and 
the distance from the Gulf Stream. The climate more 
nearly resembles Georgia and Alabama, although warmer 
than either of those states. Snow very seldom falls and 
the frosts are light, but they do definitely mark the sea- 
sons and clear the way for a new spring. 

Leaving Pensacola, the road follows the shore for a 
number of miles, and many beautiful water views are 
obtained of Escambia Bay. The high bluffs of variously 
tinted clay are furrowed and worn by the water, while 
grassy slopes are interspersed here and there, thus adding 
a pleasing variation to the scene. Then follows a stretch 
of forty miles through the primeval forest of oaks, mag- 
nolias, and pines and the blackjack woods. Very little 
agricultural development has taken place through here, 
and only a few unimportant stations are passed. 

De Funiak Springs is situated in the midst of an ex- 
tremely well-forested country and on an elevated table- 
land. It is only twenty miles from the Gulf of Mexico 
and still less from the Choctowhatchee Bay. This town 
has been a popular winter resort for many years, and it 
has attracted many thousands of visitors. The springs 
are sixty feet deep and almost circular in outline. The 
circumference measures almost a mile. Around its 
shores a very pretty park has been laid out. The spring 
water is clear and sparkling with chalybeate qualities, and 
is said to be very beneficial to anaemic people and those 
greatly debilitated through overwork. A vacation can 
be spent very pleasantly here, for the woods and rivers 
and lakes provide charming excursions both by land and 
water. 

Health-giving springs are numerous in this section of 



154 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Florida, for they are also found at Ponce de Leon and 
Chipola, on the way to Tallahassee. At Mariana is lo- 
cated the State Reform School. It is situated on the 
Chipola River, which is classed as a navigable stream by 
the government. Not far away this stream disappears 
and runs underground for about a mile. In a country 
characterized by such a phenomenon it is not surprising to 
find caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites of won- 
derful beauty. There is also a great spring of transpar- 
ent water which forms a vigorous little stream as it flows 
from the ground. Just a little to the east is a splendid 
hunting and fishing ground, which is frequented by many 
camping parties. A day's sport is likely to include duck, 
turkey and quail, as well as the nimble-footed deer. 
There are a number of lakes, among them being those 
known as Dead, Cyr and Ochesee. It is these waters that 
attract the ducks in large numbers in the winter months, 
after the return from their northern homes. 

A large and imposing stream is crossed by a long bridge 
and trestle, which is the Apalachicola River. The town 
of the same name, located on the bay of the same name, 
is about eighty miles below. It can be reached by steam- 
ers from here and by railroad from River Junction. It 
is a rather prosperous town because of its lumber and 
fishing industries. It is only a couple of miles above 
River Junction that the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers 
unite to form the broader Apalachicola. From here to 
Tallahassee the way is through a farming country, which 
is interspersed with lakes and woodlands. There are 
groves of the oaks and magnolias, and tobacco plantations 
will be seen in many places. It is the principal tobacco 
growing section of the state. 

" Tallahassee is a delightful old place," said a Pensa- 
colan to me. He was right. It is indeed filled with de- 



Across Northern Florida 155 

light and charm, and it has the added dehght of antiquity. 
The capitol itself shows that. It was finished before 
Florida was admitted as a state, and is still doing duty 
as the capitol, despite its four-score years of age. There 
is little more that is new about the capital city than there 
is about the capitol building. Even the great Leon Hotel 
might date from " befo' de wah," so far as outward ap- 
pearance goes. And yet there is an air of comfort about 
its great halls and spacious verandas that pleases, and 
there is life, too, when its spacious rooms are filled with 
legislators and lobbyists. 

It was in Tallahassee that I first became interested in 
the birds of Florida, — out by the " Home of the Talla- 
hassee Girl." It was only a common bluejay, or the 
Florida jay, but there were so many of him. He is just 
as sassy and just as unmusical here as in the North, but 
the bluejay certainly h- a pretty bird. His coat of many 
colors seemed even brighter and more resplendent than 
usual down here beneath a brilliant Florida sun, and the 
blues and whites of his regulation uniform scintillated 
wonderfully as he (and she) flew back and forth from 
the ground to the trees. There were evidently babies 
with hungry mouths up there in the Spanish moss. I 
thought it was a wise bird that made its ho-me down here 
where the Spanish moss hung in festoons from the limbs 
of the live oaks, thus making a most inviting place for a 
home. There were comfort and seclusion, as well as dis- 
tinctive charm. 

Robins were scarce in Tallahassee, but bluejays were 
everywhere. Their characteristic cries floated down 
from every tree and every lofty perch. But their two 
or three musical notes could be distinguished, also, and 
these compensated for the less musical and discordant 
ones. Their bright colors and saucy topknots cause one 



156 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

to forget that this bird is a robber and a thief. They 
are very approachable, these Florida bluejays, and their 
confidence in man is remarkable. It is said that they are 
readily tameable and become rather interesting pets. But 
bluejays were not the only birds. The cardinals were 
likewise there, and " The Tallahassee Girl " must have 
listened to their cheery notes as they sat in the oaks and 
the pines that surround the old mansion in which she had 
her home. The scene would have made a good setting 
for " The Kentucky Cardinal." Saucy little wrens 
perched themselves haughtily on limbs and objected to 
intrusion, when they were not too busy picking up a free 
lunch. The modest little song sparrow poured forth his 
song as if to dispel one's prejudice against the name spar- 
row in general, because of his obnoxious English cousin. 
Little bluish birds and thrushes flitted here and there 
through the green foliage, and the scarlet bonnet of the 
red-headed woodpecker was visible, even if one failed to 
hear his rat-tat-tat-tat on the dead limb of a neighboring 
tree. The scarlet tanager is a frequent visitor to Talla- 
hassee, while warblers of several kinds are perfectly at 
home here. The ruby-crowned kinglet also mingles his 
beautiful voice with those of the other singers, as well as 
the charming bluebird and the vireos and the orchard 
orioles in their elegant dress. All of these things added 
to the charm of Florida's capital, and the time was early 
in the month of February. 

The expansive live oaks, about which the birds flit and 
in which they nest, are a symbol of stability and even 
virility, but they invariably appear rather somber. They 
drop their leaves one by one in a rather grudging manner, 
and they put out their new ones in the same way. Be- 
cause of this they always retain their cloak of dark green. 
They are the great and overspreading glory of Florida's 



Across Northern Florida 157 

capital, furnishing wide coverlets of verdant green and 
canopies of the coolest shade. An ordinary street would 
be too restricted for their giant arms and spreading 
branches. They are venerable patriarchs and can look 
back upon generations of time when you and I were not, 
neither were our fathers. Under one of them Robin 
Hood and all of his merry men might have camped in 
comfort. It is the delicate lace hanging from its limbs 
that furnishes the greatest beauty to the live oak. The 
profuse draperies that droop from every branch and 
every twig envelop the -scene with a glamour of wonder 
and mystery. And yet even this clinging moss im- 
presses people differently. 

" I think it is nice," said a lady, " but that ragged moss 
over everything reminds me too much of untidy house- 
keeping." 

The capital of Florida occupies one of the highest ele- 
vations in the state. It is charmingly situated on a hill, 
and is sometimes called the " hill city." It is a typical 
old southern town, where the inhabitants -are thoroughly 
at home. The houses and lots do not all have " for sale " 
signs ornamenting them. Many beautiful views are ob- 
tained across the valley toward the distant hills. The 
massive live oaks with their delicate foliage form a beau- 
tiful sky-line. The scenery is semi-tropical and semi- 
mountainous. In the Indian tongue Tallahassee meant 
" old field," and a village had long been established near 
the site of the present city. At one time, also, about the 
year 1638, the Spaniards erected a fortified camp on a 
hill west of the town. An old plantation mansion, which 
was built there, is still called Fort San Louis. When the 
Indians were driven from this section, the country began 
to develop. It is the one section in Florida which resem- 
bles the old plantation districts in the South, and it was 



158 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

settled by an aristocratic and cultivated society in the 
ante-bellum days. There are still a number of old man- 
sions modeled after the favorite colonial style of archi- 
tecture v^hich line the streets, and which date from those 
prosperous days of the long ago. This was the chief city 
of the state in slave-holding times, and wealthy planters 
thronged here from far and near because of the beckoning 
hand of social pleasure. They came to enjoy " the sea- 
son " and " the season " was when the Legislature met, 
which was once in two years. It was a period of fash- 
ionable balls, as well as of great debates. 

It is an interesting experience to be in Tallahassee on 
a market day. Scores of negroes from the surrounding 
country troop into the city for a day of rest and shop- 
ping. Dilapidated horseless conveyances drawn by the 
long eared mule or still slower ox bring them into the 
capital. Negro " mammies," with heads covered with a 
bandanna handkerchief, will be seen standing in groups 
on almost every corner. The men congregate in con- 
venient places to visit and talk over the gossip of colored 
circles. Much laughter pours forth unchecked by the 
thought or fear of an empty larder at home, for possi- 
bilities of the morrow are not permitted to interfere with 
the untrammeled enjoyment of today by these dusky chil- 
dren of the southland. 

Tallahassee was selected for the site of the capital by 
commissions appointed in 1821, soon after the territory 
had been ceded by Spain to the United States. It was not 
incorporated until 1840. It is one of the smallest capitals 
in the Union. It is not a strenuous commercial city, but 
its trade is confined to the immediate districts surround- 
ing. The streets are laid out so wide that the wagons 
wander uncertainly from side to side. There is room for 
a double trolley line,^but the trolley is not there. They 



Across Northern Florida 159 

add an air of stateliness to the city which is pleasing. 
The State House is an old structure of brick and stucco, 
standing at the brow of the hill at one end of the main 
street. The stately portico bestows an air of grandeur, 
and it stands in the midst of a beautiful grove of trees. 
There is a college for young women, and also a state edu- 
cational institution for young women in the suburbs. 
There are a number of attractive lakes within a few miles, 
among which are Lakes Bradford, Jackson, lomonia 
and Lafayette. Lake Lafayette is situated on an estate 
of twenty-three thousand acres, which was granted to 
General Lafayette by the United States as a recognition 
of his service during the Revolutionary War. 

The long residence of Prince Louis Napoleon Achilles 
Murat, the son of the famous Marshal of France, who 
married one of the sisters of Napoleon and was for a time 
established on the throne of Naples, contributed an inter- 
esting chapter to Florida's capital — for princes and prin- 
cesses have ever interested democratic Americans. It is 
one of the points of interest to which guide-books and 
the inhabitants point with interest. The prince came to 
the United States about the time of the Napoleonic exile, 
and he settled in Tallahassee. This was a number of 
years before it had been chosen as the territorial capital, 
although it was already becoming a center of southern 
aristocratic society. He married a daughter of a Mr. 
Willis, who had come to Tallahassee from Virginia. 
Her mother was Mary Lewis, a niece of George Wash- 
ington. Although still a young woman, she was already 
a widow. The courtship of the young Murat was short 
but passionate; they were married in 1826 and removed 
to his plantation near the town. Upon this he had 
bestowed the name of Lipona, after his mother's title, 
which was Countess Lipona. At one time the prince 



160 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

and princess returned to Europe with the intention of 
making their homes there. The prince entered the 
military service of Belgium, but was dismissed because 
he was a Napoleon, for the authorities feared the in- 
fluence of his name. For a time they lived in London, 
where both became ver\^ popular. It is said that a warm 
friendship arose between them and Washington Irving. 
Then they returned to Florida, and lived for a time at 
St. Augustine. 

The prince was a brilliant but erratic man, and finally 
decided to follow the law as a profession. He owned 
slaves, but was a good master. As one of his former 
slaves expressed it : " He never was for barbarizing a 
poor colored person at all." He practiced for a time at 
New Orleans and also at Baton Rouge, but returned 
to Tallahassee, where he died in 1847. When Louis 
Napoleon became Emperor of France, he did not forget 
his charming cousin in America. He urged her to visit 
Paris, where she took part in court life. She returned 
to Tallahassee and bought an unpretentious home, where 
she lived until her death in 1866. This home is a story 
and a half cottage sitting amidst flowering shrubs. It is 
an old house and the journey out there is a pleasant 
journey over a winding road. It has now fallen into a 
rather unfortunate state of neglect. It was never a 
palace, but it has poetry and sentiment enwTapped around 
it, which is sufficient charm for the American traveler 
with a little sentimentality in his make-up. 

The climate of Tallahassee is much colder than the 
sections farther south. This is due both to its more 
northerly location and also to its elevation. And yet 
Spring comes much earlier as compared with our 
northern states, for the gardens sometimes beam with 
roses as early as February or March. Yet there is a 



Across Northern Florida 161 

chill that lingers about the evening when a fire feels very 
comfortable. There is no fire more pleasant, however, 
than that furnished by a Florida pine fire, which sends 
forth an aroma filled with perfume. To me the smell 
of this pine wood smoke is always delightful. It makes 
one think of camp fires, of the open road, and of 
blankets spread over one beneath the bright stars. This 
perfume is born of the pine wood which has gathered 
all the spices of the forest unto itself. 

The roads around about Tallahassee are almost un- 
surpassed in beauty. There are long stretches where the 
trees (almost intertwine overhead, where beautiful mosses, 
ferns, wild flowers and tangled vines clamber to the top 
of the gigantic trees. At times they lead past lovely 
lakes dotted with pond lilies and reflecting the glory of 
the southern skies. The white sand of Florida is here 
replaced by red clay. It affords rather a pleasing relief, 
too, to see the land rising, gently as it does, and reach 
out toward the horizon. Groups of negroes will be 
observed at work on the slopes of the hills, and one seems 
to be gazing upon a bit of the old south — a land of 
cotton and negroes — rather than a land of northern 
tourists and visitors, such as are encountered farther 
down in the peninsula. The negro farmer generally uses 
only one mule, or probably his faithful ox, which also 
takes him to town on market day. The Tallahassee negro 
is always respectful in his manner, and he never fails to 
address the stranger in a deferential way. He is neither 
forward nor servile, but has a gentleness of speech and a 
kindly manner that is pleasing. He will talk with you 
until you break off the conversation, as if that was 
a point in good manners. In most of the negro yards 
one will see the calabash hung from a pole — these are 
the colored man's martin boxes. They say there is no 



162 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

danger of hawks carrying off the chickens when the 
martins are around, and the colored man always has a 
use for chickens, as all of us know. 

Florida is probably nO" more a land of flowers than 
many of our northern states, only they bloom more 
months in the year. Flowering shrubs and climbers will 
probably be seen in greater abundance, but not the smaller 
flowers of our northern woods. One will travel through 
long stretches of the flowering dogwood and pink azalea. 
There are veritable masses of lantana and the white 
honeysuckle. The bignonia hangs its shining bells just 
out of reach in the tree tops. Thornbushes and the blue- 
berry are very plentiful, the latter being a real thing of 
beauty with its flaring white corollas. Around Talla- 
hassee there are as many flowers as anywhere else in 
Florida, and the capital itself is a city of flower gardens. 
But one does miss the hepaticas, the anemones, the spring 
beauties, the buttercups, the Dutchman's breeches, the 
trailing arbutus and a dozen other blossoms which cover 
the northern hills and valleys in the month of May. 

A drive of fifteen miles brings the traveler to beautiful 
Wakulla Springs. The water exceeds a hundred feet 
in depth and is crystalline in its transparency. It has 
wonderful magnifying qualities, which renders the most 
minute objects plainly visible on the edges of the lime- 
stone rock far down near the edge of the abyss. The 
water gushes upward with great force and volume, and 
forms a river which will carry boats of considerable size 
to the Gulf. Merchant boats used to ascend as far as the 
spring. A beautiful forest growth encompasses it, in 
which the twining trumpet and fragrant jasmine and the 
clinging Spanish moss augment the natural beauty of the 
oaks and the bays and the magnolias. One of the estab- 
lished institutions of the Tallahassee neighborhood is an 



Across Northern Florida 163 

organized fox hunt, which has been conducted each year 
for a quarter of a century. Legend located a smoking 
volcano, named Wakulla, in an almost impenetrable 
jungle south of Tallahassee. Although assertions have 
been made that smoke has often been seen issuing 
from there, no explorer has ever yet discovered 
any subterranean opening from which it could have 
issued. 

On the railroad journey from Tallahassee to Jackson- 
ville, there is little of particular interest for the tourist. 
There are a number of villages and small towns and a 
few places of considerable importance, such as Live Oak, 
Houston and Lake City. The least interesting section 
is that nearest to the metropolis of the state. There 
one will find long stretches of endless pine woods, with 
the curious scrub palmetto growing rather sparsely over 
the ground. Here and there will be encountered a 
cypress swamp, while an occasional road will be observed 
among the pine trees. It impresses many travelers as 
though it would be next to impossible to imagine any- 
thing more uninteresting or more uninviting. The high- 
ways do not tempt the pedestrian, for the sand is deep 
and the sun is generally rather hot. The landscape is 
open and parklike, level as a floor and flooded with sun- 
shine. A shady place tempts the pedestrian to establish 
himself temporarily, and there are occasional shady spots 
even in a Florida pine forest. There he can listen to the 
birds or watch for some strange and unusual butterflies. 
The beautiful pileated woodpecker is not uncommon, for 
one will occasionally catch a glimpse of his scarlet cheek 
patches far up in the branches of a tall pine. Wide 
awake he seems to be, as he stretches his rather scrawny- 
neck this way and that way, with his long crest erect 
and aflame. Then he suddenly disappears from view, 



164 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

but a succession of sharp raps prove that he has not en- 
tirely deserted your vicinity. 

At Lake City is located the State Agricultural College 
as well as an experiment station of the Department of 
Agriculture. White Springs, a few miles to the north- 
west, is another of the many health-giving resorts of 
Florida. Before reaching Live Oak we cross the famous 
Suwanee River, made popular by the famous song, 
whose simple sweetness and the genuineness of its pathos 
have held for many decades. It is indeed a stream of 
wondrous beauty whose waters mirror its banks almost 
perfectly. The Suwanee is fed by a number of beautiful 
springs, and the name is claimed to be a corruption of 
the Spanish name San Juan. Suwanee Springs, not far 
from Live Oak, is one of the most famous springs of 
Florida. It is noted for its healing qualities, while the 
river itself is most charming with its wooded banks. 
This famous river, so famed in the south, has its origin 
in the great Okefinokee swamp of Georgia and winds 
its devious way down through Florida to the Gulf of 
Mexico. One expects much and is not disappointed if 
he takes a canoe or row-boat and paddles over a few 
miles of water, " Way down upon the Suwanee River," 
where the darky's heart is wandering ever. 

It is not wholly a southern paradise through which 
the Suwanee passes, as one might infer from the longing 
expressed by the negro. There are a number of negro 
villages along its banks, and some white people live 
there also. The little cabins of the blacks are poor 
tumbledown affairs, with glassless windows, and they 
are destitute of either lath or plaster. Primitive fire- 
places are depended upon for heating purposes. The 
humble dwellings are upraised upon wooden blocks, 
eighteen or twenty inches above the ground, under which 




L -^ ■?_ 



WAY DOWN Ul'UX TliK SLWAXKK Rl\ ]• R." 



Across Northern Florida 165 

barnyard fowls and the razorback hogs are perfectly at 
home. Out in the yard there is always a big black 
kettle in which the water is heated for the washings. 
You will likely see a " cullud " woman there at work with 
a long-stemmed pipe in her mouth. If she does not 
smoke then she will dip snuff, a habit that many of the 
Caucasian women have acquired also. One end of a 
twig is chewed into a swab, dipped into the snuff can 
and then thrust into the awaiting mouth. 

The negroes do not work hard, and they always have 
time to loaf. " Why," said a white man, " if thar was 
a train through hyar every half hour, the darkeys 'd 
be thar to see hit. They stan thar an look an look like 
they hadn't never seen a train befo'. I tell yuh, the 
niggers here is utterly no good at all." I smiled, but 
I thought that maybe it was some pleasure to the poor 
darkies, and there certainly was not much pleasure in 
life for them down there. Likewise it occurred to me 
that many of their white neighbors did not set a very 
good example of the strenuous life. 

The metropolis of Florida is Jacksonville. It is the 
chief commercial city and the railroad center, and the 
county seat of Duval County as well. It is also the 
most important seaport on the South Atlantic. It is 
situated on the St. John's River, about tweny-five miles 
from its mouth. In the early days there was a ford 
here called by the Indians " Wacca Pilatka " or " the 
cows' crossing over " ; from this fact it was spoken of 
as the " Cowford." The first settlement dates from a 
period just about a century ago. Its inception was due 
to Lewis Z. Hogan, who had married a Spanish widow, 
the Donna Maria Suarez, who owned a couple hundred 
acres of land on this site. It was on the line of travel 
then followed into the peninsula, and a ferry was estab- 



166 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

lished in 1820. Thirteen years later the town was in- 
corporated and was named after General Jackson, the 
popular hero of that day, who had likewise been in- 
timately associated with the history of its acquisition 
from Spain. The original of the many hotels of which 
Jacksonville can boast was opened to the traveling public 
in 1822. This primitive hostelry would make a very 
poor showing in comparison with the magnificent hotels 
of today. Jacksonville was a place of refuge for fugi- 
tives from the interior of the state during the prolonged 
Florida War. 

There is not much history worthy of note in Jackson- 
ville's later existence, except during the Civil War. On 
four different occasions it was captured by the Union 
forces. The first time was when several gunboats sailed 
up the St. John's and captured the unresisting town on 
the nth of March, 1862. This force was withdrawn 
in the following month. Six months later it was again 
seized and occupied for a time. In the spring of 1863, 
it was captured by colored troops of South Carolina, who 
were under the command of Colonel Thomas Wentworth 
Higginson and Colonel Montgomery. The citizens ob- 
jected strongly to the presence of negro troops, which 
led to considerable bad feeling. When abandoned this 
time, there was considerable looting and much of the 
town was burned. In February, 1864, it was taken once 
again by colored troops and retained until the close of 
the war. 

The greatest event in history since that time was a 
terrible conflagration that occurred in May, 1901. 
Nearly three thousand buildings of all kinds were de- 
stroyed at this time, with a loss of many millions of 
dollars. It has been rebuilt in a much finer way than 
it was then, so that the fire was not an unmixed calamity. 




"fT 



1 








/ < 



..i^U 



Across Northern Florida 167 

Its growth has been so rapid that it is difficult to find 
a native of Jacksonville, for the vast majority have come 
in from other sections of the states. Today it is a busy 
city, with an attractive business and residence section. 
There are well-paved streets and attractive parks and 
open squares. Hemming Park is a spacious square in 
the center of the city which affords a convenient outing 
place for residents and visitors alike. Jacksonville is 
the leading gateway to Florida, and is an outlet for its 
products as well. It will naturally retain these advan- 
tages just as long as all the leading railroads to the North 
pass through it. They bring tens of thousands of visitors 
to the city each year, most of whom spend a day or two, 
or many weeks, in the splendid hotels which cater to their 
needs and comfort. If the growth of manufactures 
maintains the present pace and makes the progress that 
the inhabitants prophesy, then the expectations of the 
most hopeful may be realized. The civic pride and 
enthusiasm of the citizens is large, and they look for- 
ward to a great city in the not-distant future. 

To the northern visitor there is a charm in the semi- 
tropical vegetation. Palms will be seen in Jacksonville 
and many other trees that are not found where the 
Frost King rules. Likewise outdoor flowers are common 
in midwinter, except when an unusually severe frost has 
dropped down without warning and left its blight. The 
visitor is entertained royally at the splendid hotels, and 
he can pay according to the capacity of his pocketbook. 
A few days' stop here is a splendid introduction to the 
more tropical scenes that await the visitor farther south. 
On the return journey many halt here for a short time 
in order to make the change of climate gradual. 

There are a number of bathing resorts not far from 
Jacksonville. About twenty miles distant is Atlantic 



168 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Beach, quite a popular resort, and a few miles nearer lies 
San Pablo Beach. Both of these resorts are on the 
ocean, and they are visited a great deal by tourists on 
their return north, because the temperature is a little 
cooler than farther south. Two smaller beaches are also 
known as Manhattan Beach and Burnside Beach. May- 
port is at the mouth of the St. John's River. It is an 
old settlement, and the name is a reminder of the French 
designation of this stream. It was named River of 
May by the French Huguenots, whose unfortunate 
settlement, antedating St. Augustine, was near here. 



CHAPTER IX 

THE ANCIENT CITY 

Way down in Florida, where the sun is generally warm 
and cheering, lies " The Ancient City," as St. Augustine 
is generally called. It is true that perpetual summer 
does not reign here, for the morning sun occasionally 
awakens only to look out upon fields that are white with 
frost. He discovers his favorite palms crisp with the 
cold and the broad banana leaves wilted under the icy 
touch of the Frost King. Fortunately these frosts do not 
come frequently, and even then the roses generally hold 
up their petals bravely and bear the ordeal without wilt- 
ing. 

When the white men first reached the spot on which 
St. Augustine now stands, they discovered a village of 
several hundred Indians. Sir John Hawkins visited 
here about the time the new town arose, and a member 
of his expedition wrote of it as follows: "The houses 
of the Indians are not many together for in one house 
a hundred of them do lodge. They being more like a 
barn and in strength not inferior to ours, for they have 
stancheons and rafters of whole trees and are covered 
with palmetto leaves; having no place divided but one 
small room for their king and queen. In the midst of 
this house a hearth where they make great fires all night, 
and sleep upon certain places of wood hewn in for the 
bowing of their backs, and another place made high for 
their heads." Clothing v/as one of the least of their 
,169 



170 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

cares, for they wore but little, but they proved to be a 
highly intelligent race of aborigines. That they were 
not naturally hostile to the white man is shown by the 
account given of them by Rene de Laudonniere, the 
Huguenot commander, who wrote : " For mine own 
part I pray God continually for the great love I have 
found in these savages." The Spaniards succeeded in 
arousing the hostility of the Indians almost from the 
very beginning. 

St. Augustine claims to be the oldest city in the 
United States, but Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, 
also asserts its pretentious claim to this same distinction. 
It was with an elaborate display of military grandeur 
and with all the solemnity of the sacred mass that San 
Agustin was born on the 8th day of September, in the 
year 1565. Long before dawn of that day the crews 
of the Spanish ships had inaugurated the work of land- 
ing artillery and stores. Possession was taken of the 
great council house of Seloy, and negro slaves began the 
work of throwing up earthworks around it. The priests, 
of whom more than a score had been brought, erected a 
cross, set up an altar, and provided the sacred utensils 
of the mass. 

Menendez donned his knightly uniform, with hose and 
doublet, and pinned the cross of Santiago on his breast. 
A great plume waved from his hat. Thus caparisoned 
and duly announced by the roll of a drum, and salvos of 
artillery, he rowed in state from his flagship to the shore. 
A procession was formed, at the head of which walked 
the chaplain Mendoza, carrying aloft the crucifix. After 
him followed the priests in their churchly robes, and be- 
hind them marched the soldiers in measured step, with 
armor glistening in the sunlight. Over all the scene 
■waved the red and yellow banner of Spain. The priests 



Old St. Augustine. 



The Ancient City 171 

chanted the Te Deum laiidamns, and the other solemn 
ceremonies of the mass followed. Holy water was 
sprinkled on the site, and the air was perfumed with 
the odor of burning incense. The Adelantado and all 
his company kneeled and kissed the crucifix. Round 
about in picturesque fashion were gathered wondering 
groups of natives, who looked upon the scene in mute 
bewilderment. 

Menendez took formal possession of Florida in the 
name of Philip II, and the newly-born town was named 
San Agustin, in honor of the saint upon whose day the 
fleet had first sighted the Florida coast. 

Oaths of allegiance were renewed by the members of 
the expedition, and Menendez was saluted by them as 
the Adelantado of Florida. A cheer arose from the 
throats of the men, and a thundering salute belched forth 
from the mouths of the cannon on the ships. When the 
sun finally disappeared behind the river of pines, a new 
town had arisen in the western world. This was forty- 
two years before the English landed at Jamestown, and 
more than half a century before the first Pilgrim Father 
had set his foot upon the bleak and rocky coast of New 
England. For centuries its history was practically the 
history of Florida, at least of East Florida. As 
originally planned, it was to be three squares one way 
by four the other. The stockade was followed shortly 
afterwards by the parish church and a hall of justice. 
As the pageantry of the natal day fades from view 
the stern realities of a pioneer settlement in a new land 
amidst a hostile race begin. Enemies without and dis- 
ease within, both made inroads upon the population. Be- 
fore succor came, Menendez had been obliged to pawn his 
jewels and the precious cross of his order in Cuba to 
succor his colony. The De Gourges expedition so 



172 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

lowered the spirits of the colonists that Menendez was 
obliged to return again, and he died in the mother country 
in 1574. 

San Agustin was conquered and occupied for a time 
by Sir Francis Drake, the great English freebooter. He 
had been commissioned by Queen Elizabeth to capture 
and destroy all Spanish property in the New World. 
The buccaneers of this age waged a retaliatory war 
against everything Spanish, because that nation claimed 
divine right to the greater part of the Americas, which 
was sanctioned by the Pope's Bull. Drake carried out 
his instructions to the letter and succeeded in enriching 
himself at the same time, causing his name to become a 
terror to all Spanish commanders. One of his followers 
wrote of San Agustin, as follows : *' When the day ap- 
peared we found it built of all timber, the walls being 
none other but whole mastes or bodies of trees set up- 
right and close together in manner of a pale, without 
any ditch as yet made, but wholly intended with some 
more time; for as yet they had not finished all their 
worke. . . . The Platforme whereon the ordinance lay 
was whole bodies of long pine trees, whereof there is a 
great plenty, layd across one on another and some little 
earth amongst. There were in it thirteen or fourteen 
great pieces of brass ordinance and a chest unbroken up, 
having in it the value of some two thousand pounds 
sterling of the King's treasure, to pay the soldiers of 
that place who were a hundred and fiftie men. The 
fort thus won which they called St. John's fort and 
the day opened we assayed to goe to the town but could 
not by reason of some rivers and broken ground which 
was between the two places; and therefore being en- 
forced to embark again into our pinnaces, we went thither 
upon the great maine river, which is called as also the 



The Ancient City 173 

town by the name of S. Augustine. At our approaching 
to land, there were some that began to show themselves, 
and to bestow some few shots upon us, but presently 
withdrew themselves and in their running thus away, 
the Sergeant-Major, finding one of their horses ready 
saddled and bridled, tooke the same to follow the chase' 
and so over-going all his companie was, by c-ne layd 
behind a bush shotte through the head, and falling down 
therewith, was by the same two or three more stabbed 
in three or four places of his body with swords and 
daggers before any could come neare to his rescue." 

Taking whatever valuables they could locate in the 
town Drake's followers burned San Agustin and also 
the fort. It was on his return from this expedition that 
Drake carried the first consignment of tobacco to 
England. A second time, in 1665, an even century after 
its foundation, San Agustin was captured and sacked by 
another English freebooter. Captain John Davis. He 
also burned the town but did not uncover in it much 
booty, as the town was poor. He was even more of a 
pirate, or buccaneer, than Drake. The troubles of this 
struggling Spanish settlement seemed to be without end. 
In 1702, Governor Moore, of South Carolina, conducted 
a successful expedition against the settlement and carried 
away much booty, but he did not gain possession of the 
fort. Again was the town burned. They had been there 
for several weeks, and there was great rejoicing among 
the inhabitants upon their departure. A few years later 
the fort was greatly strengthened by engineers placed 
in charge. The ramparts were heightened and case- 
mated. Governor Oglethorpe of Georgia besieged San 
Agustin for thirty-eight days in 1749, but he was com- 
pelled to return without success. His naval force con- 
sisted of six small vessels. Some of the marks of the 



174 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

cannon balls fired from his batteries on Anastasia Island 
may still be identified, but they failed to make a breach 
in the infrangible walls. 

In 1763 San Agustin passed under the control of the 
English by treaty, and became the seat of government. 
It now became known as St. Augustine. During the 
War of Independence Florida remained loyal, and the 
revolutionary patriots, John Hancock and Samuel 
Adams, were burned in effigy on the plaza. Many distin- 
guished colonial prisoners were held in confinement in 
the fortress here. In 1784 it again reverted to Spanish 
rule, and remained so until the Stars and Stripes were 
uplifted over the old fort in 1821. The first American 
governor lived here until the capitol was removed to 
Tallahassee. St. Augustine was an important fort dur- 
ing the Seminole War, and massacres by the Indians took 
place near the town. The following notice gives some 
idea of the unsettled condition at this time: 

December 1840. 
Notice to Travelers St. Augustine and Picolata Stage : — 
The subscriber has commenced running a comfortable 
carriage between St. Augustine and Picolata twice a 
week. A military escort will accompany the stage going 
and returning. Fare each way, five dollars. The sub- 
scriber assures those who may patronize this undertak- 
ing that his horses are strong and sound; his carriage 
commodious and comfortable; that none but careful 
and sober drivers will be employed; also every atten- 
tion will be paid to their comfort and convenience. 
Passengers will be called for when the escort is about 
leaving the city. 

At the opening of the Civil War the Stars and Bars 
replaced the Union emblem, but the city was captured by 
the Federal armies in March, 1862, and held by them 



The Ancient City 175 

until the close of that internecine conflict. This ends 
the list of epochal events in the history of the oldest 
town in the United States proper. 

Although St. Augustine continued to be the chief town 
during the Spanish occupation, its progress was slow, in 
spite of government aid and patronage. By 1647 the 
number of householders had reached three hundred, of 
which the inhabitants boasted, and they likewise rejoiced 
in the fact that the Convent of St. Francis housed fifty 
members of that order. A century later it had grown 
to be a town in excess of two thousand inhabitants. 
When cession was made to Great Britain, the city boasted 
of three thousand souls. The city was three-quarters of 
a mile in length and about a quarter of a mile in breadth. 
Four churches had arisen, which wxre ornamentally 
built of stone in the Spanish style. One of these was 
pulled down during the English occupation. Most of 
the houses were constructed of stone, also, with windows 
that projected into the street. None of the houses were 
supplied with either chimneys or fireplaces, but stone urns 
were filled with coals to moderate the temperature when 
it was cool. The governor's residence had piazzas on 
both sides, and there was a grand portico decorated with 
Doric pillars and entablatures. Two fortified lines, con- 
sisting of ditches and small redoubts running from St. 
Sebastian River to St. Mark's River, protected the town, 
in addition to the castle, or fort. 

When St. Augustine was ceded to Great Britain the 
majority of the Spaniards left, but the population was 
increased by the arrival of some English immigrants and 
those colonists who escaped from the Turnbull planta- 
tion at New Smyrna. The governor laid waste his fine 
gardens, and the Spaniards would have destroyed every 
building had they been able to do so. Under English 



176 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

rule the settlement greatly prospered. The Spaniards 
again returned when the royal banner of Spain once 
more floated over Florida, and the present town was 
doubtless generally built during that period. The 
Spanish character persisted for a considerable time after 
the transfer to the United States, for the carnival was 
celebrated in truly Spanish fashion down as late as the 
Mexican War. A decade after this event most of the 
inhabitants spoke English and Spanish with equal 
facility. 

St. Augustine exhibits its antiquity in its appearance. 
As it was in constant danger of attack from an enemy, 
the city was condensed within a short radius. Hence 
no part of the original town is far removed from the 
Plaza, from which everything radiated. Unlike most 
Spanish plazas, which are usually square or rectangular, 
this one at St. Augustine is irregular in shape, but the 
streets run out from it with the compass to the four 
directions. A pyramidal monument of coquina stone 
stands in the center of the Plaza de Constitution, which 
was erected in 1813. The inscription is in Spanish, and 
its translation runs as follows: " Plaza of the constitu- 
tion, promulgated in the City of St. Augustine in East 
Florida on the 17th day of October in the year 1812; 
the Brigadier Don Sebastian Kindalem, Knight of the 
Order of Santiago, being Governor. For eternal re- 
membrance, Constitutional City Council erected this 
monument, under the superintendence of Don Fernando 
de la Maza Arredondo, the young municipal officer, old- 
est member of the Corporation and Don Francisco 
Robira, Attorney and Recorder. In the year 1813." 
A few years afterwards the Spanish government ordered 
all monuments erected to the Constitution of 181 2 to be 
torn down. The inhabitants of St. Augustine were un- 



The Ancient City 177 

willing to do so, and then simply removed the tablet 
bearing the inscription. This was restored in 1818 with- 
out objection. 

Under the rule of Great Britain the Plaza was known 
as the Parade, for the soldiers drilled and performed 
their evolutions on this open space. The dress parade 
of the United States garrison also took place here until 
the close of the Civil War. The Cathedral, as it is called, 
was originally built about the middle of the eighteenth 
century, but was not completed until 1793. It was given 
the name of St. Joseph's Church. The building was al- 
most destroyed by fire in 1887, but it has been completely 
restored. There is an old bell in the tower which bears 
the following inscription : " Saint Joseph Ora Pro 
Nobis A. D. 1682." It was taken from an older church, 
and is one of the oldest bells in the United States. The 
church building has been reconstructed with some rather 
inharmonious additions. 

The Plaza also contains a structure, which is generally 
known as the slave market. It is at the east end. There 
formerly stood on this site an old frame building which 
was used by the Spaniards as a general market. The 
wooden building finally collapsed in 1883, and the present 
building was then erected. Although not built especially 
as a slave market, it is claimed that slaves were actually 
sold there. It has also been restored since the destructive 
fires of 1887. The postoffice is an old building erected 
under the Spanish rule, and was the Governor's Palace. 
Its former quaint and interesting appearance has been 
lost in renewing its balconies and handsome gateway. 
The little park surrounding it was once walled in and 
formed the private garden of that official. Today the 
Plaza is a loafing-place for northern tourists, who spend 
the cold season here in the mild climate of St. 



178 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Augustine, and the benches are generally well filled on 
a sunny day. It is a good place to watch and study the 
people. At one end men may be seen engaged in that 
thrilling occupation known as pitching quoits, or the 
more familiar horseshoes. 

Old St. Augustine, as it exists today, is replete with at- 
traction for the tourist who has an eye for the quaint, 
the historic and the picturesque. A number of the 
narrow streets of the " Ancient City " are still the prin- 
cipal thoroughfares of business. One can still stumble 
upon a contracted street with overhanging balconies, 
which makes him think that he has been suddenly trans- 
ferred into some half- forgotten city of the long ago. 
Treasury Street, the narrowest of all, has been eradicated 
by fire. It was so incapacious that if a normal man fell 
across it he would have bumped his head on the opposite 
side. St. George's Street has for three centuries been the 
main business thoroughfare, and it is pleasant to walk 
along it in a wealth of winter sunshine. This street 
still retains its original width of only nineteen feet, and 
many quaint old buildings with overhanging balconies 
still remain. One building, called the " Old Curiosity 
Shop," is one of the oldest and best preserved specimens 
of the Spanish architecture. On St. Francis Street is 
a building which lays claim to being the oldest building 
in the United States, but this distinction is disputed by 
one or two other buildings in St. Augustine, not to men- 
tion the claims of Santa Fe. It is a curious old-world 
structure with low ceilings and large fireplaces. It is 
said to date from 1590, and was occupied for a time 
by the monks of St. Francis. For a quarter of a century 
it has been occupied as a museum and contains a valuable 
collection of antiques. The United States barracks, now 
abandoned, occupy the site of, and include some bits of 



The Ancient City 179 

the original wall of the old monastery of St. Francis, 
when St. Augustine was the center of the religious 
life and missionary activity in Florida. Near it is 
the Military Cemetery, where are buried many who 
lost their lives in the Seminole War. A monument 
has been erected there to the memory of those who 
died in the ambuscade of Major Dade's command, 
near the great Wahoo Swamp, on the 8th of August, 

1835. 

One of the great sights in the former days was the sea 
wall, which extends from Fort Marion to the south for 
a considerable distance. It is also built of the coquina 
rock, with a topping of granite. It was erected by the 
United States in 1835-42, during the stirring period 
of the war against the Seminoles, and replaced a pro- 
tecting wall of Spanish days. This wall affords an op- 
portunity for a very pleasant promenade. In the days 
when St. Augustine was simply a sleepy little town 
with few visitors, the wall was considered a wonder by 
the inhabitants. 

Modern St. Augustine has changed wonderfully in 
recent years, for it has developed into a resort town 
where there are thousands of visitors during the winter 
months. Its awakening was due to H. M. Flagler, for 
he aroused the sleeping city from its lethargy and trans- 
formed it into one of the showplaces of the country. 
In general, the buildings have followed a design in har- 
mony with the history of the city. By adopting the 
Spanish or Moorish style of architecture the builders 
have attempted to preserve an individual note, which is 
praiseworthy. Here wealth has built huge domes and 
pinnacled minarets ; it has frescoed the walls and arches 
of quaint stone buildings with every cunning device of 
the builder's art. The Ponce de Leon Hotel has long 



180 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

been considered one of the sights of Florida. Other 
hotels in the peninsula are just as luxurious and just 
as expensive, but this hotel is an elaborate example of 
the Spanish renaissance architecture. All of the details 
have followed a fixed design and they compel apprecia- 
tion. There are flattened-down towers, eaves project- 
ing under red-tiled roofs, court-yards filled with 
luxuriant tropical plants and ornamented with flowing 
fountains, heraldic and symbolic designs here and there, 
making a picturesque whole. The details are well 
worthy of study. The entrance gate is even provided 
with a portcullis, in imitation of the feudal strongholds 
of old. The Alcazar is also in the Spanish style, with 
patios and fountains, but it is in a somewhat sterner 
type of architecture. At night, however, the patio with 
its rustic bridge and fountain flowing into a pool is a 
favorite promenade. 

Across the waters from St. Augustine is Anastasia 
Island, with which it is connected by a long bridge. 
It is an island of white sand dunes, overgrown in part 
with scrub pine and the palmetto. Here are the bathing 
beaches. Nowhere has nature more closely imitated the 
drifting snow. The snow is dazzling in its whiteness, 
and as fine in its texture as the drifting snows of the 
bleak Northwest. The wind drives it along the shore 
and piles it up in drifts, which increase and decrease as 
the winds shift. Looking out in a dreamy sort of way, 
one can imagine himself in the North and find himself 
listening for the merry sleighbells. Although the roar 
of the surf might be mistaken for the North wind, in 
a retrospective mood, the warm sun soon awakens one 
to the fact that he is far away from the land of snow and 
ice. But the tropics and arctics do meet here during the 
migrating season, when the Arctic terns on their way to 



The Ancient City 181 

the Antarctic seas meet the warblers and the tropical birds 
on their way north. 

The most prominent object on Anastasia Island is the 
lighthouse, with its queer black and white spiral stripes, 
which make it a distinguishing feature of the landscape. 
This was built of coquina by the Spaniards. In 1769 
it was raised sixty feet higher with framework, and it 
had a cannon placed on top which was fired when a vessel 
was sighted. The curious coquina rock is quarried on 
this island. It is a composition of shells and fragments 
of shells, which is comparatively soft when first quarried 
but hardens upon exposure to the air. It makes a very 
satisfactory and substantial building material. A dozen 
miles to the south there are the ruins of an old Spanish 
fort which guarded the approach to the river and town. 
It was here that Menendez captured and executed the 
shipwrecked Frenchmen of the Huguenot expedition. 
Although the fort did not exist at that time, the site 
will help to bring back many sinister memories. 

The old city gates, which are still standing, are a 
striking reminder of the fortified nature of the old St. 
Augustine. They are all that remain of the wall that 
once partly encircled the town. Lying between two 
rivers, now called the Sebastian and the Matanzas (river 
of blood) , it was not difficult to defend. The wall on this 
one side guarded the land approach. Compared with 
the great gateways of old-world cities, these gates are 
very modest indeed. But in the United States gates of 
any kind are rare, and these gates are well worthy of 
distinction. The date of their construction is unknown, 
although it is quite probable that they were constructed 
about the middle of the eighteenth century. 

There is a photographer down there near the city gates 
who is always waiting to .entrap the unwary visitor. If 



182 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

you have a weakness for photographs you will not get 
by his place without making an impression on the sensi- 
tive film. I yielded myself — almost. An old ox tied 
to a cart appealed to me, and I thought my likeness 
in this setting would be a splendid souvenir to send 
back home. Another favorite environment is to have 
yourself photographed with real alligators. You can 
hold one of the live babies on your knee, if you want 
to. There is a real orange tree there with the golden 
fruit wired upon the branches. With a little adjust- 
ment you can transmit your likeness to the friends back 
home, as you stand there supremely happy, with your 
hand on an orange in the act of plucking it just as if 
that was as natural an occupation for you as digging 
potatoes. These resort photographers have studied 
human nature, and they know some of its weaknesses. 
Looking out from the city gates and toward the water, 
one beholds the real defence of St. Augustine. When 
danger threatened, the inhabitants felt that they had a 
secure retreat within the walls of impregnable Castle 
San Marco, whose walls face you here like the gray stone 
walls of so many fortresses of the Old World. For 
more than three centuries a fortress has occupied this 
spot. When the Spaniards first landed here in 1565, 
they discovered an Indian fortified camp which they im- 
mediately converted into a log fort for temporary pro- 
tection. This was succeeded by a more pretentious fort, 
which was given the name of San Juan de Pinos, St. 
John of the Pines, and it was this fort that was taken 
by Sir Francis Drake. Less than a century later work 
was begun on a substantial stone fort and Apalachian 
Indians, captives of the Spaniards, were set at work upon 
its walls. For sixty years these aborigines labored and 
sweated here. It was only after a century of un- 



The Ancient City 183 

requited toil by unwilling laborers, Indian captives, black 
slaves and convicts, that the imposing fortress v^as con- 
sidered completed in the year 1756. Upon it was be- 
stowed the name of San Marco (St Mark). So re- 
markable had been the cost of San Marco that the 
Spanish monarch is said to have exclaimed that the 
curtains and bastions must have been built of solid silver 
pesos. 

The castle, as the Spaniards termed San Marco, was 
constructed of the famous coquina rock, which is 
quarried opposite the town. The blocks of quarried 
stone were carried on cross-bars, resting on the shoulders 
of slaves, over a long causeway to a landing where they 
were loaded on barges. An escutcheon bears the arms 
of Spain, and the inscription sets forth that " Don 
Fernando the VI, being King of Spain, and Field Mar- 
shal Don Alonzo Fernandez de Hereda, being Governor 
and Captain General of the city of San Agustin, Florida, 
and its province, this fort was finished in the year 1756. 
The works were directed by the captain-engineer, Don 
Pedro de Brazas y Garay." 

The old fort is an imposing gray pile reminiscent of 
the days of feudalism. It conjures up pictures of 
splendor and cruelty that one is apt to associate with 
the mediaeval castles of Europe. It is a square, with 
bastions at each of the four corners, which were 
originally named after the four apostles. It has a record 
of never having been taken by a besieging enemy. The 
walls enclose an open court, which is a little more than 
one hundred feet each way. The only entrance is 
through the sallyport, in the midde of the south curtain. 
At each outer angle is a sentry box, but the one on the 
northeast corner is much higher than the others and was 
used as a watch tower. From it the sentinel could dis- 



184 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

cern every approaching vessel in time to give warning. 
With the other three sentry towers, every possible angle 
of approach was guarded against. The sentinel could re- 
main unobserved and fire through the opening left for 
the purpose. It is a complete mediaeval fortress, with 
all the customary parts. A moat forty feet wide sur- 
rounded the walls, and this could be flooded from the 
river at high tide. Automatic gates opened when the 
tide came in and closed when it went out. This moat 
has now been filled to the depth of several feet with 
sand. A barbican, or fortified gate, protected the en- 
trance, which could only be entered by passing over a 
drawbridge and under a heavy portcullis. Here there 
was a hole through which melted lead could be poured 
upon invaders. 

The walls of Fort Marion are nine feet thick at the 
bottom and half as thick at the top, and they are twenty- 
five feet above the moat level of today. Around the 
court are a series of rooms which were intended for the 
ordinary needs of the garrison. In the north wall is 
the chapel, of which the altar and the niches still re- 
main. Prisoners were brought up to a barred door to 
hear mass, but they could not be brought inside, for 
there they could claim the right of sanctuary. Another 
room was used for punishment, and prisoners were 
chained to the walls so that they were compelled to 
maintain an upright position, being able neither to sit 
or lie down. Near the torture chamber is a dark room 
that remained undiscovered by the Americans until 1839, 
when the falling in of some masonry led to its dis- 
closure. The guides relate very touching tales of 
starved and tortured prisoners who were incarcerated 
here, and walled up to await death. The story seems 
plausible enough, and the visitors listen almost with 



The Ancient City 185 

blanched faces to the harrowing stories. Plain truth 
says that this was originally intended as a powder maga- 
zine, but when it became too damp for this purpose it was 
walled up as a sanitary measure. An incline formerly 
led up to the terreplane, which is almost forty feet wide, 
and here there were mountings for sixty-four guns. The 
plane has recently been converted into steps. 

It was on the loth day of July, in the year 182 1, 
that the guns of the fort thundered their parting salute 
to the old flag, and the Spanish troops marched for the 
last time across the drawbridge. Then these same guns 
thundered forth a rousing welcome to the new banner, 
and the Stars and Stripes were unflung to the breeze. 
The name of the fortress was changed to Fort Marion, 
after General Francis Marion, of Revolutionary fame. 
A hot-shot furnace was built on the water front in 1844, 
and still remains. It was intended to heat shot to a 
white heat and then discharge them from mortars at an 
approaching enemy. Near it will be observed the place 
where the Spaniards executed their prisoners, and the 
marks of the fatal shots are still to be seen on the walls. 
Cannon were also mounted along the sea wall. The last 
use of these cannon were as a quarantine signal to in- 
coming vessels. The last shot was fired in 1867 from 
one of these guns at a little schooner which failed to heed 
the first signal. It was taken possession of by Florida 
troops, on January 7, 1861, by order of the governor. 
This was before the ordinance of secession was passed. 
It remained in the hands of the Confederates for several 
months before being surrendered to the United States. 

The visitor to St. Augustine should wander out to old 
Fort Marion by himself, and, if possible, at night, when 
the moon is flooding the landscape with its silvery light. 
Then the changes in the surroundings are not so notice- 



186 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

able, and the walls seem even more grim and terrible. 
The moon throws a broad pathway of silver across the 
Matanzas River toward the opposite shore. Then one's 
imagination can rehabilitate the scene as it was in its 
earliest days, witli booted and mailed Spanish cavaliers 
walking or strutting around. One can picture the dark 
outlines of boats loaded with stone from the quarries, 
and with the most motley of crews toiling laboriously 
at the oars. There are convicts from Spain and Mexico, 
political prisoners, slaves and even Seminole braves who 
are prodded to effort by the sabers and bayonets of old 
Spain in the creation of this acme of mediaeval forts, 
which stands here almost unscarred today. In places the 
moonlight seems to touch the bastions and towers with a 
glow of silver, as if in an attempt to soften its grim- 
ness and austerity. 

In the moving panorama the lordly Briton succeeded 
the Spaniard, and within its walls have been imprisoned 
scores of colonial patriots from Charleston and Georgia, 
and the crews of ships taken by privateers. We are 
still shown the cells where Coacoochee and Osceola were 
confined, and from which the former made his celebrated 
escape. Osceola proudly refused to accompany him. 
The last prisoners confined here were also Indians, of the 
Comanche, Kiowa and the Cheyenne tribes, in 1875. 
One can almost distinguish the clanging bolt and bar 
and hear the shutting of the doors upon manacled 
wretches who were never again to look upon the smiling 
face of the sun. One can almost see the burning lamp 
before the tabernacle, and restore the images to their 
niches, bringing back the pageantry of ceremonial rites 
and the chant of the solemn mass. 

This fortress has seen one band of intruders after an- 
other set foot on the shores here, and has witnessed all 



The Ancient City 187 

the changes through which these United States of 
America has passed. Its outlines have been tenderly- 
softened by time and the elements, and its moat has 
been choked with drifting sands. The drawbridge long 
ago disappeared, and the legend on the escutcheon is 
barely legible. Ponderous doors have been demolished, 
and bars have in places given place to window panes — 
but the imagination restores all these things, and one is 
soon lost in reverie. Thus it is that old Fort Marion, 
somewhat neglected but still clothed in dignity, awaits 
the obliterating hand of the oncoming centuries. 



CHAPTER X 

THE ST. John's and ocklawaha rivers 

Greatest and most imposing of all the rivers of 
Florida is the St. John's which, reversing the almost 
universal rule of streams in the United States, flows north 
in a course almost parallel with the shore line, and not 
a great distance from the sea. For centuries after the 
Spanish settlement this river was practically the only- 
avenue of approach to the interior of the peninsula. 
On its banks were planted some of the earliest attempts 
at colonization in Florida, and many old and romantic 
legends are related concerning these early settlements. 
The dense tangle of vegetation overspreads many a ruin, 
the very existence of which has sunk into oblivion. The 
St. John's is the river that was named by the French 
River of May. The Indians had bestowed upon it the 
name of Yivlado, or Walaka, meaning the " river of 
many lakes." The Spaniards conferred upon it the name 
of Rio Picolato, before the final name of Rio San 
Juan, or St. John's River, was imparted. 

There is much of intense interest in this great river 
of Florida, and the traveler by one of the many steamers 
that ascend it will never lack for entertaniment, if he is 
interested in natural beauty and in nature as a whole. 
At Jacksonville the St. John's River is a broad and 
expansive stream, resembling a lake more than a water- 
course. It is three miles here from shore to shore and 
the current is extremely sluggish, because of the very 
slight fall. A hundred miles above the wide mouth of 
188 



St. John's and Ocklawaha Rivers 189 

the river the elevation above the sea level does not exceed 
seventy feet and the influence of the tides is still percep- 
tible. One soon leaves the skyscrapers and drawbridges, 
tugs and lighters of the city, and sails out to where 
there has been little mutation since the days of Ponce 
de Leon. 

There is very little indication of plantations or villages 
on the shores of St. John's for miles. The banks are 
lined with the varied greens of the centuries — old live 
oaks and the long-leaved pines, added to which are 
festoons and dangling draperies of the Spanish moss 
that fairly smothers some of the trees. The sweetgum 
tree may be distinguished wherever there is swampy land. 
It parts with its leaves in December, and it can readily 
be recognized by the soft gray of its twigs. This de- 
ciduous tree is one of the few reminders to the visitor 
from " up north " that it is winter down here in Sunny 
Florida, although there are several other trees which also 
have the shedding habit well established. The sight 
brings back a " homey " feeling to one many hundreds 
of miles from home and fireside. In the upper recesses 
among the branches the mystic mistletoe hangs its 
yellowish green leaves and its pearl white berries. The 
scene is almost primeval, for it has been transfigured 
little by the hand of man. It is a journey through a sub- 
tropical wilderness where the chill of midwinter seldom 
leaves its mark. The entire setting reminds one of the 
description of the primeval forest by the poet Long- 
fellow ; 

"This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hem- 
locks, 
Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight. 
Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic. 
Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms." 



190 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Occasionally a tiny road is outlined winding its way 
down through the sand to a long pier which bridges the 
shallow water near the shore. Only near the middle of 
the stream is the water deep — for the floating rafts of 
water hyacinth sometimes get stranded far from shore. 
In the distance may be heard at times the tinkle of cow- 
bells, and, as the sound fades away, it becomes a liquid 
tone that is truly delightful. Sometimes the sound comes 
from the shores, where the cattle have waded out for 
several hundred yards into water as deep as they can 
stand without swimming after this tender herbage of the 
aquatic plants. 

The steamer stops at a number of stations along the 
banks of the St. John's in its upward journey, but the first 
place that would interest the general traveler is Mandarin, 
fifteen miles above Jacksonville. Here it was that Har- 
riet Beecher Stowe, more than half a century ago, occu- 
pied for many years a quaint little rambling house with 
a large veranda built about a great oak tree. In her 
book, entitled " Palmetto Leaves," she describes the beau- 
tiful country round about her home and the three mon- 
strous live oaks that sheltered it. She also tells us of a 
caged cardinal that used to sing with great enthusiasm 
" what cheer." The splendid old house has long since 
disappeared, and its very foundations have been obliter- 
ated by the tangle of wild verdure that has grown up. 
Of the school and the work which Mrs. Stowe so nobly 
intended to do, no traces can be found. The towering 
oaks alone remain, and they reach out their wide-spread- 
ing arms as if in a benediction. The cardinal is still here, 
and his whistle is as merry as ever. The work which was 
upon her heart, however, and which resulted in the writing 
of " Uncle Tom's Cabin," some of which was penned 
here, has been accomplished, and the negro's manacles 



St. John's and Ocklawaha Rivers 191 

have been removed. Furthermore, it is now unlawful to 
even cage a wild bird, no matter how sweetly it may sing 
for its owner. 

Many years ago an experiment was attempted by an 
English colony which settled here in the jungle and 
planted orange groves. They brought with them to the 
American shores their sturdy English thrift and English 
ways and, in a few years, the scent of orange blossoms 
filled the air round about with rich perfume. The gar- 
dens bloomed with English roses and lilies and violets, 
and even the ivy was climbing over the porches in a famil- 
iar way, thus making a rather somber background for the 
prodigal vegetation of the tropics. For half a century no 
serious disaster befell these English colonists but, in 
February, 1886, a frost came which turned the orange 
trees brown. But life was left in the roots, and the trees 
arose once more to fulfill their destiny and contribute to 
the sustenance of man. Again, in 1895, the chill of the 
frost came and brought more discouragement for orange 
growers in this vicinity. During my own visit in Feb- 
ruary, 19 1 7, the orange trees were again brown and life- 
less in appearance, owing to a destructive frost of the 
previous month. As a result of the several frosts the 
growers of oranges have experienced much discourage- 
ment. In traveling through Florida one will find that the 
date of the last big freeze is a sort of a landmark to every 
Floridian. Everything dates from or before that event. 
It is, indeed, an outstanding historical fact. 

There are many springs along the St. John's, as there 
are in other sections of Florida. Magnolia Springs, on 
the right bank of the river, has for a long time been a 
favorite resort for many tourists. Green Cove Springs, 
not far distant, is a sulphur and a chalybeate spring of 
wonderful beauty. The waters bubble up from a depth 



192 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

of forty feet and discharge thousands of gallons daily. 
It has been famous as a curative bath ever since Florida 
was ceded to the United States. More than a hundred 
miles up the stream is Blue Spring, one of the most won- 
derful of the many springs in Florida. It is so named 
because of the exceedingly clear water, which is a dark 
blue, while the aquatic plants and fishes also partake of 
different shades of blue. The water here bubbles up with 
such force that it is almost a foot higher in the center than 
on the edges, and it makes a stream that is five feet wide 
and ten feet deep. 

One of the oldest settlements along the river is Palatka. 
Until the year 1869 this port was the head of ocean navi- 
gation, all the steamers coming up here instead of halting 
at Jacksonville. It is still an important railroad and 
steamboat center, and is the beginning of the trip up the 
Ocklawaha River. The elevation is only about seventy 
feet above the sea level, and the trade winds temper the 
heat of the sun. This vicinity was one of the old centers 
of the orange industry, but this distinction has been 
yielded to sections farther south. Palatka is a pleasant 
town with a good climate, and yet it has no distinctive 
features that appeal to the traveler. It is a favorite spot 
with the birds, however, and they will be heard singing in 
many places. One of the birds found in this neighbor- 
hood is the pinewood sparrow. He is not the greatest 
singer in the world, but this little finch can entertain the 
bird lover with his song, which is frequently rendered in 
a dreamy sort of way. It has not the quality of the 
mocking bird, which abounds here, but it has feeling, if 
one may use such a term in connection with a bird. His 
song is quite varied, although within a rather narrow 
compass. The song always begins with a long full intro- 
ductory note and then drops into soft and low tones that 



St. John's and Ocklawaha Rivers 193 

are inexpressibly tender, seeming to come from a long 
distance. 

Above Palatka the St. John's River begins to narrow, 
and its beauty is intensified. The small steamer winds 
its way under the experienced eye of a thoroughly trained 
pilot, following the navigable channel that winds about 
through a vegetation of the most picturesque and wonder- 
ful sort conceivable. Not for two consecutive minutes is 
its outlook the same, and you are traveling through a 
tropical forest. It is in the spring that everything ap- 
pears to the best advantage, and this is the time the aver- 
age tourist sees it. The pines have then commenced to 
put out new buds at the ends of their clusters of dark 
needles, and even the mosses which drape the trees are 
putting forth shoots of the tenderest green. The vines 
are at their very best, and at the foot of many of the 
trees will be seen the azaleas. The scent of the loquat, 
one of the sweetest of the trees in Florida, permeates the 
air with its pungent odor. Although of foreign birth, it 
has been here long enough to be fully naturalized. It is 
a handsome tree, somewhat like the horse chestnut, but 
its yellow fruit is edible, so that it is generally called the 
Japanese plum. 

One will find veritable banks of wild cherokee roses, 
which make a most excellent hedge when properly 
planted. Even in the coldest weather in Florida it pushes 
out its white buds with their five broad petals of pure 
white enclosing a golden center. Its interlacing stems 
are protected with hook thorns implanted so closely to- 
gether that it would be almost impossible for the toughest- 
hided animal in existence to force its passage. It has a 
most delicate perfume, but one must press his face close 
down to the bloom to catch it. In and out of the thorns 
of the Cherokee rose climbs the jasmine. It crawls along 



194 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

the sand, creeps under the porches and through the 
cracks of abandoned buildings. It ascends the trees 
where its yellow trumpet-like blossoms exhale a penetrat- 
ing perfume which permeates the air. The oleanders 
crowd upward in their struggle for light and air, until 
their trunks at the base are as large as a man's thigh. 
Upon them appear scattered sprays of fragrant blooms. 

The water of the St. John's is clear but dark, and it is 
also brackish, because of its mixture with the salt water. 
At its source, in sand-bottomed lakes, the water is beauti- 
fully transparent and pure. But this condition of clarity 
does not last long, as the voyager quickly learns. Wher- 
ever one sees it, from Jacksonville to Sanford, it is a dark 
and murky stream, winding and twisting through a con- 
tinuous succession of swamps. Although one knows 
that there are settlements not far from the banks, on the 
higher land, one sees little of them from the river. In 
most places the aspect differs little from what must have 
been its appearance in the days before the white men 
came, when its waters were navigated only by the pic- 
turesque dug-out canoes of the Seminoles and other In- 
dians. It would not be pleasant to be lost along these 
banks, for there are too many creatures that chirp and 
croak and scream and howl after night has fallen. 

A Florida night has its charms. There are so many 
more creatures to make noises than in the North. There 
is a long-horned grasshopper that has a vibrant night 
song. It is not so loud as its northern counterpart, for 
the dampness of the night air probably alters the tension 
of his wings. At times, at the full moon season in spring, 
the sounds make up a sonorous orchestra with scores of 
quavering songs giving vent to the joy in the insect heart. 
The hoarse voice of the northern bullfrog is missing, but 
his southern relative takes his place with a grunt not 



St. John's and Ocklawaha Rivers 195 

greatly dissimilar to that of the razorback. The diminu- 
tive screech owl launches his quavering song through the 
night air, and the Florida barred owl's voice reminds one 
of goblins and spooks until better acquainted with him 
and his " hoo hoo." 

The waters of the St. John's are fairly alive with fish, 
which can be seen everywhere. The mullet will some- 
times leap as much as six feet in the air from the surface 
of the water, with their silver scales gleaming in the sun. 
Crabs are very plentiful here, and they may be seen scut- 
tling from the margin of the river toward the deeper 
water. They always move with the left side foremost, 
and their dark blue clothes are always conspicuous. 
They are easily caught by tying a piece of tainted meat 
to a string. Fishing for the channel catfish is very com- 
mon in the St. John's, and boys will be observed strung 
along the docks with their hooks in the water baited for 
the cat, which sometimes weigh as much as thirty to 
thirty-five pounds. At night the trawlers can be located 
by lanterns hung upon poles, where they lie in wait for 
the unwary felines of the water. The fish bring a low 
price, but even then the returns are good. Another in- 
dustry is the catching of the shrimp, which frequent this 
river in countless numbers. The negro fishermen in- 
veigle them in rather primitive circular nets, which have 
lead weights about the circumference and are held by a 
rope in the center. When the nets are drawn up they are 
sometimes filled with these curious bug-like creatures of 
which so many people are passionately fond. 

It is almost opposite Welaka, which was the original 
name of the river, where the mouth of the Ocklawaha is 
located. From here St. John's contracts and expands 
on its way down into the very heart of Florida. It passes 
through Lake George, which is a beautiful sheet of water, 



196 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

twelve miles long by seven miles wide. Farther up it 
again widens into Lake Monroe, where is located the town 
of Sanford. San ford is generally known as the " celery 
city," a name which it has attempted to take from Kala- 
mazoo. Even the atmosphere seems permeated with the 
odor of celery — but it is a pleasant smell. You may 
stroll for one mile, two miles, three miles, or even four 
miles, and see nothing else but celery and lettuce. As 
fast as one crop is pulled another is planted. Irrigation 
is secured in the form of flowing wells by boring or dig- 
ging from twelve to twenty feet. One would think that 
the whole country was a floating island. It is a thriving 
little town, with modern improvements, which has grown 
rapidly because of the celery cultivation. It is also the 
head of navigation on the St. John's. The lake is nothing 
more nor less than the river that has greatly expanded, 
for its waters have the same tint of amber. Above Lake 
Monroe, the river is even more interesting, because it be- 
comes narrower with the profuse vegetation forming 
green walls on both sides. It is not pleasant to turn back 
when amid such beautiful scenes, but the river becomes 
impassable for navigation long before its source in Great 
Sawgrass Lake is reached. 

It is a wonderful revelation to a visitor from the North 
to make a trip on one of Florida's tropical rivers. None 
is more interesting than the Ocklawaha, which for scores 
of miles contorts and intorts its way through the tangled 
growth of pristine forests, all the while seeking a lower 
level, until at last it pours its clear flood in the murky 
waters of the broad and imposing St. John's at Welaka. 
It may be that the Ocklawaha originally intended to be 
straight, but, if so, it does it by a most wonderful series 
of windings and contortions. " On the Ocklawaha " — 
there is euphony in the name alone. Had we but a f rac- 



St. John's and Ocklawaha Rivers 197 

tion of the rhythm of the ancient Indians who bestowed 
the names upon Florida's lakes and rivers, the decadence 
of poetry in this country need not be deplored. You will 
face all points of the compass in the bewildering Ockla- 
waha. Many times it appears to the traveler as though 
the boat must stop, for no avenue of exit seems to offer. 
The pilot knows where he is going, however, and steers 
straight ahead. One learns that where the river seems 
to end is merely a very sharp turn. In two or three places 
it is almost a complete reversal of direction, the two chan- 
nels of the river being separated by only a few rods of 
forest. It is a letter S all the way from the start to the 
finish. It is so crooked that it reminds one of the Irish- 
man's remark about the streets of Boston. *' Be jab- 
bers," said he, " I started out one morning to see a friend 
and the turns were so sudden that I met mesilf coming 
back." 

It is the unexpected turns that add to the charm of the 
Ocklawaha trip, for each aberrance opens up a new and 
entrancing view of tropical growth, each one being more 
or less unlike any other. The large boat swings around 
clumsily and starts on its new course with a little sputter- 
ing and spattering. There is no monotony on this trip, 
for the novelty never ceases. Although an all day trip, 
the traveler is just as eager for the new scenes at the end 
of the trip as at the beginning. The farther up one as- 
cends, the narrower becomes the stream and the closer it 
is hedged by the overhanging vegetation. It arches over- 
head, and in a few places almost, but not quite, interlaces 
with the growth on the opposite bank. 

Although most of the forest has been cut over, there is 
a stretch or two of virgin forest where the giant cypresses 
still stand as the monarchs of these realms. It is a place 
of a singular silence. The great cypresses are so 



198 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

weighted and surpliced with vestments of gray moss, 
which has the appearance of priestly robes, that " they 
seem like weird priests with swaying gray beards." 
Dead trees, enormously swollen at the base, they some- 
times appear in winter, light colored and with apparently 
no bark to cover them. At the top, however, one will see 
in early spring fresh green leaves just being put forth. 
A cypress swamp is a frightful place to get into — it 
seems to be the very abode of snakes and everything evil. 
This useful wood thrives best in stagnant black water, 
and the slaves who chose these swamps for concealment 
in their efforts to escape were certainly driven to des- 
peration. 

Giant palmettos rear their heads, with their branchless 
trunks running up for fifty or sixty feet to the overhang- 
ing crown of broad leaves. The water maples, pink al- 
monds, and bay trees, with leaves a glossy green on one 
side and sea-green on the other, will be seen. In Febru- 
ary the dogwood blooms, and the trees become covered 
with star-like flowers. The long-leaf pines rise majes- 
tically in the dense growth for sixty feet or more, and the 
live oaks are covered with the Spanish moss until the 
branches are almost hidden from view. The mistletoe 
will be seen in great green bunches on the trees, and 
orchids are not uncommon. At certain seasons the air is 
fragrant with the odor of the jasmine, the rhododendron 
and the sweet-scented woodbine. The shallow water 
near the shore is filled with the water lilies and the water 
hyacinth, which, although beautiful, is the bugaboo of the 
navigator. It is only when the hyacinth is in the full 
glory of its purple bloom that it is appreciated. Then 
the beauty of these beds of hyacinth can hardly be de- 
scribed. The unfamiliar shrubbery and dense under- 
growth, the fans of the palms, the trailing gray mosses, 



St. John's and Ocklawaha Rivers 199 

all of these make an indescribable picture in the eye of the 
northern visitor to this semi-tropical region. 

The water hyacinth is in its glory on the St. John's 
and Ocklawaha. Little green rafts of it are continually 
floating down stream toward the open seas beyond. It 
grows so dense that it becomes a real nuisance to naviga- 
tion. But the traveler thinks only of the wonderful 
beauty. Little air bulbs enable the hyacinth to remain 
afloat, even when separated from its moorings. When 
undisturbed by cattle, which seem so fond of the leaves 
that they will wade far out for these dainty luxuries, or 
the boats, this aquatic plant covers the creek from bank 
to bank with serried ranks of leaves, whose intense green 
gives a very beautiful color, but whose stems will effect- 
ually halt all navigation. Most visitors to Florida fail 
to behold the hyacinth at its best, in the blossoming sea- 
son, for its blue flowers look for all the world like a 
translucent blue orchid, and the surface of the stream 
bears a beautiful sheen of the daintiest shade. Its deep 
blue is relieved only by a splash that resembles a yellow 
fleur-de-lis. 

The wonderful charm of the water is almost indescrib- 
able. The passenger can peer into its transparent depth 
for hours and discover fresh interest continually in the 
life within its depths. It seems fairly alive with the finny 
tribe, and the disciple of old Izaak Walton wants to stop 
the boat and venture his luck with a hook and line. 
Bright-colored trout will be observed energetically push- 
ing their way against the current. Mullet make their 
presence known in a spectacular way by leaping out of 
the waters as though shot from a catapult. They will 
leap up half a dozen feet and then fall back upon their 
sides with a great splash, as though they enjoyed the 
sharp contact with the water. Striped bass and the al- 



200 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

most black giant catfish can readily be distinguished in 
the pellucid stream. But the giants of the waters here are 
the savage-looking garfish with a long sharp snout. Oc- 
casional specimens will be distinguished swimming ma- 
jestically along, as though they realized that they were 
monarchs of all the fish around. They are said to be the 
oldest of the extant fishes which have remained un- 
changed and " unevoluted " these hundreds of thousands 
of years. They are not palatable, so I am told, but there 
are plenty of others that will furnish not only splendid 
sport but good eating after a proper introduction to a 
treatment in the frying-pan over a rousing hot fire. 

The birds of the forests and streams also help to en- 
liven the scene. These are many and varied. The most 
strikingly beautiful of all, and the monarch of these 
solitudes, is the majestic blue heron which frequents these 
waters in his hunt after fish. Sometimes he will arise in 
his dignified flight just a few feet ahead of the boat. 
Again, he will poise near the boat long enough for a photo 
to be snapped. It is a truly beautiful and noble specimen 
of the wading birds. It was here that I caught my first 
glimpse of the water turkey, or snake bird, one of the 
oddest of birds to be found in Florida. Its neck and 
head curiously resemble a snake, and it is more curious 
than attractive to the eye. One writer compares it to a 
" crow that has had its neck pulled." Its glossy black is 
relieved by the silver tracery on its wings. It can dive 
like a loon and lives principally upon fish. It pushes its 
sharp-pointed bill this way and that, when there is noth- 
ing more important to do, for it seems to be a nervous 
bird. It is interesting to watch the twistings and inter- 
twinings of its slender neck, as it preens its feathers. It 
might be classed as a contortionist among the feathered 
creatures, for its neck seems to twist like a corkscrew. 



St. John's and Ocklawaha Rivers 201 

When rising, its short wings flap energetically, but, once 
in the air, it sails round and round with the grace of a 
hawk. It will dart into the water with a monstrous 
splash, and then come up to the surface and poke its slim 
head above while walking around with its body sub- 
merged, looking for all the world like a snake. Then it 
is that one realizes why this name was bestowed upon the 
water turkey. 

A common but interesting bird seen here is the turkey 
buzzard. No doubt the swamps contribute greatly to his 
support, as it is not uncommon for an animal to become 
mired in them. Did you ever notice how majestically 
he sails along without a flap of his wings? The eagle is 
scarcely more majestic in his fliglit. He sails and sails, 
going with the wind for a time and then buffeting his 
way against it. He appears to be propelled by thought 
alone, without either a flap of his broad wings or a quiver 
of his wide-spread primary tips. Stretching forth his 
bald neck, he wishes himself in some place, and imme- 
diately sails forth for it, always passing onward in beau- 
tiful circles. Scavenger though the buzzard is, he seems 
to have a genius for being graceful. The kingfisher is 
visible by the score, and his hoarse rattle frequently dis- 
turbs the silence of the forests. He will generally be 
seated on a limb overlooking the stream, rising and dash- 
ing into the stream after his victim with a tremendous 
splash for so small a bird. 

" There is a 'gator! " is the excited shout that draws 
everybody to one side of the boat or the other. It is curi- 
ous that such an ugly and repulsive denizen of this region 
should attract more attention and be the object of more 
watching than either beast or bird or fish. One old fel- 
low, who was frightened from his favorite lair, opened 
his cavernous mouth and floundered down the bank to- 



202 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

ward us, striking the water with a resounding splash. 
It may be true that the alHgator never bothers man, but 
this one looked as though he might easily take several of 
the steamer's passengers into his cavernous stomach. 
The timid deer is occasionally seen, but even this beautiful 
creature does not share the interest centered upon the re- 
pulsive reptile known as the alligator, a strange left-over 
of an era millions of years in the past. Sluggish as they 
are, these creatures slide quickly into the water as the boat 
approaches, but occasionally one will be lying flat on a 
log and absolutely decline to budge as the boat glides 
swiftly by. There they lie basking on the bank, and the 
hotter the day the more will be visible. To lie basking 
in the sun all the day long appears to be the ideal of an 
alligator's existence. It is seldom that a trip is made on 
this river, when the weather is real warm, that travelers 
do not catch a glimpse of several of these creatures. We 
sighted twenty, the largest of which was about twelve feet 
long. This grandfather might be seen almost any day, 
for he had his own favorite and exclusive sunning spot 
and seldom moved as the steamer passed by. On the 
preceding day the passengers reported forty-nine alli- 
gators in sight — but the steamship companies wisely for- 
bid shooting at any creature from the boats. 

The partly submerged trunks of trees provide ideal 
sunning places for the turtles, many of which are of 
goodly size, a foot across or more. They sit in silent and 
solemn rows, six, eight, a dozen, with their heads tipped 
back so that the sun can strike their necks. When the 
noise of the approaching boat is heard, or its vibrations 
felt, they will be seen plunging and swimming beneath the 
surface. But it is not long until they might be observed 
clambering up again on the same log in their awkward 
and lumberly way. 



St. John's and Ocklawaha Rivers 203 

At long intervals we come upon a clearing with a house 
or two planted in the midst of a lovely wilderness, each 
with its own orange grove. There are remains of former 
lumber camps where logs have been brought for miles to 
float down this crooked river. At times one's heart al- 
most aches at the sight of thousands of feet of lumber in 
abandoned logs which are allowed to rot right by the 
water's edge. There are a few landings at which an occa- 
sional human shows himself, and a raft or two of logs 
may be encountered in some narrow place in charge of a 
couple of gentlemen of color who are skilfully piloting it 
to a saw-mill down below. In general, however, there 
is little to detract from the wild and primeval character 
of the stream. Many tragedies were enacted along and 
near to Ocklawaha during the protracted struggle with 
the Seminoles. Some of the stops have curious names, 
among them being Needle Eye, Forty Foot Bluff, Hell's 
Half Acre, and Rough-and-Ready Cut. 

The entire distance from Palatka to the Silver Springs 
is about one hundred and thirty-five miles. If the day- 
light trip is made, which is preferable, night is sure to 
have fallen before the end of the journey is completed. 
The other route includes a night on the water during 
which the weird scenes are illuminated by torches of the 
pitch pine. When night descends it is the most impene- 
trable blackness, and all is gloom. Great black walls 
seem to rise on either side, and it is impossible for the 
eye to penetrate the gloom. Stillness and an Egyptian 
darkness encompass the entire scene like a vampire's 
wings. 

Before the end of the journey is reached, there is a 
parting of the waters. The Ocklawaha is left behind 
with many regrets and continues its way a hundred miles 
farther into the interior. The boat turns into the bluish 



204 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

and transparently clear flood of the Silver River. This 
river has its origin in the famous Silver Springs, which is 
one of the largest springs in the world, and is said to flow 
some millions of gallons of water hourly. The head of 
the spring, from which issues a stream forty to fifty feet 
wide, is more like a diminutive lake than anything else, 
for it exceeds an ordinary city block in size. The water 
is so pellucid that the smallest object is distinctly visible 
on the bottom, which is in one place eighty feet from the 
surface. It seems as though one should be able to walk 
out upon it without getting wet. It is almost a surprise 
to observe boats sailing its surface, for it seems so light 
and airy that one would expect a boat to sink. 

On a clear and calm day, after the sun has attained 
sufficient altitude, the view from one of the glass-bottom 
boats is beautiful and entrancing, almost beyond descrip- 
tion. The impression left upon the mind of the visitor 
is wonderful, for every feature on the bottom of this 
gigantic basin is as clear and distinct as if the water had 
been removed and atmosphere substituted in its place. 
It is like looking down from some lofty perch upon a 
fairy scene of beauty and magic. Far down little geysers 
will be identified bubbling up, and the force of this geyser 
is considerable, because an object sinking to the bottom 
is diverted from its course as soon as it strikes the neigh- 
borhood of one of them. The composition of lime and 
other minerals at the bottom present many shades of 
silver and phosphor-bronze, as well as other tints. 

The terminus, or beginning, as the case may be, of the 
Ocklawaha trip is at Ocala, the county seat of Marion 
County. It is also one of the most prosperous and at- 
tractive of the smaller towns of the state. Situated on 
elevated ground, drainage has been easy and the city is 
healthful. The surrounding country is fertile and this 



St. John's and Ocklawaha Rivers 205 

has brought weakh. There are many who think Ocala 
the ideal place to live. Large herds of cattle roam the 
pine forests of the country, and improved stock is being 
rapidly introduced. Phosphate mines are one of the 
sources of wealth. The Ocala Forest Reserve, consisting 
of two hundred thousand acres, is in the eastern part of 
the county. It is a finely wooded section and contains a 
number of lakes. In the northern part of Marion County 
lie Orange Lake and Lake Weir, beautiful sheets of water, 
and there are great numbers of smaller bodies of water 
scattered here and there. 



CHAPTER XI 

THE CENTRAL LAKE DISTRICT 

" Oh ! there's a lake," said a youthful passenger on the 
train. " Here's another," exclaimed a companion, who 
was looking out on the other side of the train. " Oh ! 
lookie, here are three lakes," excitedly spoke up the first 
little girl. And so the contest was continued for some 
time. 

Lakes abound all over Florida from its northernmost 
boundary to the Everglades, but they are much more 
numerous in the central part of the state. This most 
charming section of Florida has been well named the 
" Lake District." Here are a thousand and one and 
then a few more bodies of water, ranging from mere 
ponds to large inland lakes that are several miles both 
in length and breadth. They are of many shapes, but all 
are filled with wholesome fresh water and are fed by 
springs. The lakes are an undoubted aid in maintaining 
an even temperature. In Lake County alone there are 
fourteen hundred lakes large enough to have distinguish- 
ing names. Orange County contains seventeen hundred 
of these fresh water lakes and lakelets. Your map may 
not reveal many of these lakes, but they exist just as 
surely, and they have been designated by distinct appel- 
lations. 

From a little elevation a dozen of these watery islands 

in the midst of a sea of land may be witnessed at times. 

They are so numerous that even a map drawn on a large 

scale will contain only a portion of them. The smallest 

206 



The Central Lake District 207 

ones must even then be eliminated. In a flat country, 
like Florida, these bodies of water are more than wel- 
come. They take the place of hills and relieve the per- 
spective from monotony. They soften the landscape, 
conceal ugly details and heighten the color as with an 
artist's touch. Add the blue of the lakes to the dark 
green of the pines and the unnamable hues of the celestial 
canopy, with sunshine flooding it all, and one has a pic- 
ture that is truly enchanting. On the shores of these 
lakes will be found many towns, tourist resorts and hotels. 
It is a favored region, and a favorite as well with the 
winter visitors. 

There is abundant sport for the enterprising angler in 
any of the lakes. The Florida fresh-water fish may not 
be so gamy as those in our northern lakes ; but the waters 
are fairly alive with them, and it is not difficult at any 
time to capture a nice mess of the finny tribe. A Florida 
bass will generally take the hook with an almost painful 
deliberation. Your float goes down a little and then a 
trifle more. You pull up and you are surprised to find 
that you have a real fish on your hook, instead of a pro- 
voking bait robber. You had expected a bass to grab 
the bait with a mighty rush and leap above the water in a 
supreme effort to free his mouth from the thing that 
hurts. When once impaled, however, and he feels the 
sting of the barb, the large-mouthed bass will make a 
vigorous fight, but it is his bite that is a disappointment. 
It seems as though some of the southern languor has 
gotten into his system. 

How one does miss the good old-fashioned angleworm 
for which we used to dig up the paternal lawn and re- 
ceive blows from the maternal slipper as a slight token of 
appreciation. Now, you and I well know that an angle- 
worm dwells in rich loam, and of this kind of soil there 



208 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

is a noticeable lack down here. Here the soil is com- 
posed of sand and a peaty black substance that is formed 
by decayed vegetable matter. This accounts for the lack 
of the favorite bait of our boyhood days, with which we 
used to lure the sunfish and the suckers and the catfish, 
and, sometimes, the wary bass — and cause the girls to 
scream as a side diversion. I really pity the boys who 
have been so unfortunate as to be obliged to grow up in 
Florida. They are deprived of the pleasure of impaling 
a fat and wriggling angleworm on a bent pin or the more 
prosaic hook. As a substitute here they generally use 
minnows, which are comparatively easy to secure. The 
bass spawn in June, in all the little sandy-bottomed 
streams that lead from lake or river. By the winter 
season the minnows are from an inch to three inches in 
length and fairly swarm in the shallow places, so prolific 
are these Florida fish. A scoop-net and a pail are prac- 
tically all that you need, and the Cracker manages it with 
a piece of bagging fastened onto a barrel hoop. With a 
score or two of such bait one is fairly well equipped for a 
tryout of one of these lakes. 

Among the largest of these inland bodies of water are 
Lakes Apopka, Harris, George, Griffin, Tohopekaliga and 
Kissimmee. Lake George is a dozen miles long and 
seven miles wide. It is a beautiful body of water with 
densely wooded shores. The names of the lakes are 
legion, and their contour is just as diversified. In travel- 
ing across the country by automobile, upon the splendid 
roads which now connect the principal towns, the eye is 
constantly gladdened by the sight of these little patches 
of blue amidst a setting of palms, deciduous trees or citrus 
orchards. Sometimes a half dozen or more may be 
within the range of vision at the same time. Many a land 
owner possesses a whole lake, or more than one, for 



The Central Lake District 209 

some are so dainty in outline that a good baseball 
pitcher would have no difficulty in casting his leather- 
bound sphere across it. Little or big, circular or elon- 
gated, deep or shallow, however, these lakes are a won- 
derful asset to this charming region of Florida. The 
principal lakes are comprised within Lake, Orange, Polk, 
Osceola, Sumter and Marion counties, although a number 
of the lakes are in the counties immediately adjoining. 

The bird life of this lake region is truly marvellous. 
In the trees that rim the lakes and ornament the towns 
there are ever-changing flocks of birds that dart and 
chatter without ceasing. The blue-jays clang their tin- 
tinnabulations, while the woodpecker tribe peck the trunks 
and utter their unmusical notes. The sparrows chirp and 
the flycatchers dart about in their uncertain flight, but the 
warblers are also there with their varied songs. Way 
over yonder there comes a clear whistle which sounds 
like " what cheer," " what cheer," and a brilliant patch of 
red almost makes you think that the thicket is on fire. 
The call is so loud and clear and has such a note of cheer- 
iness in it, that it seems to drive old melancholy away. 
The gray moss or the green leaves of the live oak are not 
sufficiently opaque to conceal the familiar scarlet of the 
cardinal or even of his more modestly clothed spouse. 
In one instance I heard a cardinal singing and on in- 
vestigation found it to be Mrs. Cardinal, a custom of 
which I had read but never before had experienced. It 
was as soft and as pretty a song as her mate could pos- 
sibly have rendered. There are wrens and melodious 
song sparrows and the " teakettle, teakettle, teakettle " of 
the titmouse is not uncommon. 

One of the most important and most charming of the 
smaller cities of the state is Orlando. Although not at a 
great elevation, Orlando is situated on the very backbone 



210 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

of the state. It is the capital of the county which has the 
greatest number of orange and grapefruit trees growing, 
and leads in the number of boxes of these fruits that are 
shipped. Any of the splendid roads leading to the city 
pass by and through and around great groves of these 
delicious fruits, and at certain seasons the perfume of 
the blossoms is most delicious. With all the develop- 
ment, however, only a small portion of the land has yet 
felt the touch of the agriculturist or fruit grower. 
There are still jungles of the scrub palmetto awaiting the 
magic touch of the farmer, gardener and fruit grower. 

Orlando is a live and enterprising town, and is pos- 
sessed of what is generally termed northern energy. 
There is an atmosphere of enterprise present in the busi- 
ness section that is commendable, and the northern ele- 
ment seems to predominate. I chanced to arrive there 
during the great annual fair, which had drawn thousands 
of visitors from the surrounding country and neighbor- 
ing towns. The appearance of the main street with its 
bright illuminations, together with the throngs of people 
and congestion of automobiles, suggested a much larger 
city. The appearance of the retail stores is superior to 
what one generally finds in a town of its size. The 
natural location of Orlando is really delightful. 
There are more than half a dozen little lakes 
within the corporate limits. Thus nature has given 
this little city what many larger municipalities have 
expended thousands of dollars to create in an arti- 
ficial way. They form a natural setting for a beau- 
tiful park system. The idea has been grasped to a limi- 
ted extent, so that we find a boulevard has been built 
around the charming lakes, known as Lucerne and Eola, 
which lie in the very heart of the city. They lie blue and 
sparkling in natural depressions, without visible outlet, 



The Central Lake District 211 

and the sloping shores lend themselves to artistic adorn- 
ment. Splendid homes have been, and are being, erected 
along the shores, which are almost circular in outline. 
Several other lakes within the city are only awaiting a like 
development to become the centre and radiating point of 
other residence sections. With the present rapid growth 
of the city, this will not long be delayed. Splendid coun- 
try homes are also springing up in the immediate vicinity 
of the city, and the cultivation of the soil is increasing 
each year. 

Winter Park, only five miles distant from Orlando, is 
one of the best known and most popular of the resorts in 
the lake region. The country surrounding it is rolling, 
and the air is redolent with the balmy fragrance of the 
pines. In the spring the woods are fairly carpeted with 
the many wild blossoms. The magnolias and many 
flowering bushes contribute to the charm of the place. 
The air is filled with the songs of the many song birds, 
for this seems to be a favorite resort with them, as well 
as the human kind. A couple of charming little lakes 
offer the delights of boating. Rollins College is a well 
known educational institution, in which many boys and 
girls from northern homes are enrolled. 

Lake Apopka, on the western border of Orange 
County, is the largest lake in the county. It is so large 
that at times the wind stirs up considerable storms on it. 
There are no large towns on its banks, but there are a 
number of small resorts, such as Oakland, Winter 
Garden, and other places on or near its shores, 

A little to the northwest is the lake region of which 
Leesburg is the centre. This pleasant little town is situ- 
ated between Lake Harris and Lake Griffin, in the midst 
of orange groves and gardens. Great palmettoes flour- 
ish here and the water scenes reveal one picture after 



212 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

another. An educational institution known as the 
Florida Conference College is located here. Lake Eustis 
is not far distant, and it is possible to make a triangular 
tour of the three lakes. Eustis is a thriving little town 
which is the home of a Presbyterian college. These 
lakes, and others connected with them, are the headwaters 
of the scenic Ocklawaha River, described elsewhere, and 
many large alligators are to be found in their waters. It 
is also a great hunting centre, for in the pine woods will 
be found countless numbers of quail. The woods are 
also the home of many flocks of wild turkeys. In the 
waters of the lakes the bass grow to large sizes, and there 
are countless numbers of smaller game fish. A number 
of smaller lakes, such as Yale, Silver, Dora, Milton, 
Beauclair and Little Harris, will be found in the same 
vicinity. 

Many of the birds hereabouts are singers, and some 
think they can warble. The fish crow has a frog in his 
throat so often that it has got into his voice and made 
his croak catarrhal. But the most humorous attempt at 
singing that I have ever heard was by one of the boat- 
tailed grackles along the shore of Lake Harris. He was 
earnestly trying to essay a spring song, which certainly 
was not Mendelssohn's, but it was hardly a success. He 
opened his mouth wide — set it, one might almost say. 
It opened with a shrill call, several times repeated, which 
could hardly be termed musical. Then he evidently at- 
tempted the trill of a canary, but without any notable re- 
semblance. He could not have been more enthusiastic 
in his performance had he been making the sweetest music 
in the world. The effort ended with a sort of deprecatory 
chirp, after which he was obliged to stop for a moment 
to recover from his exertion. The grackle worked hon- 
estly, but his performance was so grotesquely awkward 



The Central Lake District 213 

and so ludicrous a failure that I burst out laughing, which 
so offended him that he flew away. It was the first but 
not the last time that I heard this grackle, for it became 
almost too familiar in after days, and it was the one bird 
of which I grew rather weary. 

Spring blossoms make their appearance here in Feb- 
ruary. The landscape is not ablaze with floral color, as 
many anticipate, in a state named Florida, but there are 
many flowers. Violets will be found in abundance, while 
the yellow star-flower adds a different shade. The yel- 
low oxalis and creeping white houstonia will also be 
identified in some localities. In boggy places there will 
be a profusion of the blue iris, and some of the pools will 
be yellow with the bladderwort. The Judas-tree, or red- 
bud, is quite common, the yellow variety here being called 
Valentine's flower by many of the natives. One learns to 
admire the beautiful creeping blackberry, whose blossoms 
are almost like white roses, with their central ring of dark 
purplish stamens. There is a yellow daisy, with a single 
big head, which grows at the top of a leafless stem. It is 
one of the most abundant of the spring flowers. One 
will also find a dainty blue lobelia and a pretty coreopsis 
with a purple center. These are only a few of the flow- 
ers growing here and in other parts of Florida, and a 
careful student would enumerate and identify scores of 
others. 

Less than twenty miles from Orlando, on the way to 
Tampa, lies Kissimmee, the county seat of Osceola 
county. Although some distance from the ocean, it is 
elevated only sixty-five feet above the level of that great 
body of water. It is on the watershed, as it is called, 
and from here the drainage is by the Kissimmee River 
into Lake Okeechobee, and from there into the Gulf of 
Mexico. Kissimmee is on the border of Lake Tohopeka- 



214 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

liga, which tempers the atmosphere both winter and sum- 
mer. It is a large, but rather shallow body of water, con- 
taining several islands. How I did love to practice the 
pronunciation of its name. I asked every inhabitant how 
to pronounce it, just to hear him repeat it, and finally I 
got so I liked to rattle it off myself. " To-ho-pe-ka- 
li'-ga," they say. There is no accent, except on the next 
to the last syllable and that is brought out with a long 
drawn-out " eye." The lake is filled with fish and thou- 
sands of pounds are marketed from it each season. At 
one time Kissimmee was the outfitting point for sports- 
men, and from here they started their expeditions into the 
rich and almost unknown hunting-grounds farther south. 
Visitors began to come and with them investors, and the 
population eventually began to increase. 

Kissimmee cannot be called a tourist resort, in the sense 
that numerous towns in Florida are ; but there are many 
visitors here during the entire winter season. The culti- 
vation of the soil round about is beginning and is reaching 
increased proportions each year. The principal industry 
is the raising of cattle, and many thousands of head will 
be found scattered throughout the country. The Florida 
cattle do not compare favorably with the splendid stock 
that feed on the luscious grass of the Texas plains. They 
are small and rather scrubby looking and, as a rule, are 
not fat; they are not fed, but are compelled to eke out 
their own living, being usually shipped farther north, and 
even to Texas, to be fattened for the market. A few 
stock men are now endeavoring to improve the standard 
by introducing blooded bulls. They are beginning to 
realize, as did our western ranchers, that large- framed 
animals will eat no more than the smaller ones, and the 
possibilities of returns are much greater. Heretofore the 
stock have been allowed to run wild as the owners felt 



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The Central Lake District 215 

that, since the land was almost valueless, every animal 
marketed was practically clear profit. 

Wherever there is a pool of water in Florida, there you 
will find fishermen. Patience has actually become a 
virtue, and fishing has developed into a favored avoca- 
tion. Day after day one will stumble upon the same 
fishermen down on the piers at Kissimmee, holding their 
poles out over the water. Some of them will patiently 
wait for hours without catching anything more than a 
mosquito bite. I watched one of these anglers for a long 
time and he did not even get a nibble. Along came a 
fat, red-headed boy, and I said to the old man as the boy 
cast his hook into the water only a few feet away, " Now 
watch this boy catch the first fish." It was not five min- 
utes until his cork submerged and he drew out a wriggling 
captive upon the bank. But the hook had been swal- 
lowed. The boy possessed no more hooks, and the old 
man rather grudgingly shared his own stock. Petty soon 
"Brick Top" (I know the boys must have called him 
that) landed another fish. The old man abandoned the 
field and went away. 

It is fortunate for the man who hibernates down here 
to have a hobby of fishing; it helps beguile the time, and 
also keeps him out in God's quiet and health-giving out- 
of-doors. Taken long enough, and with an admixture of 
enthusiasm, it has a value superior to medicine for almost 
any complaint. It cannot cure old age, for instance ; but 
it will lengthen it, and for any other trouble or human 
weakness it is as near a panacea as has yet been dis- 
covered. 

Navigation extends from Kissimmee to Fort Bassinger, 
a hundred miles distant. By means of dredged channels, 
boats pass to Cypress Lake and Lake Kissimmee, a body 
of water fifteen miles long, and from there down the river 



216 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

of the same name. Fort Bassinger and Fort Kissimmee 
were both occupied during the Seminole War, but they 
are unimportant places today. The Kissimmee is an 
intimate little stream that meanders through vast fields 
of water-hyacinth and lily ponds. It is certainly one of 
the crookedest rivers in the world. One may see a ham- 
mock in the distance and head for it ; but the river makes 
a violent turn, and goes north, east, south and west before 
reaching it, although you never quite lose sight of it. 
One wonders why the Kissimmee ever chose such a ridicu- 
lous channel. As far as the eye can see at times, there 
is a vast sea of vivid green rolling onward toward the 
horizon. The banks are lined with small trees and 
shrubs, which in spring burst into flowers and new foliage, 
and it is a very paradise of gorgeous, if unmusical, birds 
that fill the air with their croaking and screaming. 

Leaving Kissimmee, on the way to Tampa, the route 
passes through a very pleasant country. It is dotted with 
lakes and is fast becoming popular with the winter visit- 
ors. Florence Villa is the home of a large winter colony, 
and Winter Haven, a little off the main line, is an at- 
tractive little town. This is in the large county of Polk, 
the surface of which abounds with lakes on every hand. 
The land is more elevated than its neighbors, and the 
lakes lie in deeper depressions, which greatly add to the 
natural beauty. The chief town of this county, although 
not the political capital, is Lakeland. It is a delightful 
little place, at the junction of the line that branches off to 
Fort Myers. Forest trees of striking beauty enhance the 
landscape of the neighborhood. Lakeland is the center 
of a famous strawberry section. They are planted from 
August to October, and some of the earlier varieties will 
furnish a limited supply for Thanksgiving. There are 
nine lakes within the incorporated limit of the city and 



The Central Lake District 217 

they augment greatly the beauty of the town. The ad- 
vantage of these natural lakes is just beginning to be 
realized, and the work of parking the banks has only 
fairly begun. The opportunity is here to create Lake- 
land into one of the most beautiful inland cities in 
Florida. Many visitors winter in and around Lakeland, 
and all of them seem charmed with the surroundings. 

Lakeland is also the chief center of the phosphate in- 
dustry. Florida is the greatest producer of this import- 
ant fertihzer of any country in the world, and there are 
scores of the mines in this section. Some are quite close 
to Lakeland, one being almost within the corporate limits. 
Phosphate is found only a few feet beneath the surface, 
in layers eight to ten or twelve feet thick. After the 
mining has been done, the hole remaining is very much 
like that of a limestone quarry. The debris and refuse 
from one excavation are poured into an older one, other- 
wise lofty heaps of this discarded product of the mining 
operations would soon create great mountains on the 
level landscape. It is said that this district produces 
more than one-third of the phosphate of the world, and 
three-fourths of the Florida production. Many millions 
of dollars are invested in the phosphate plants here, and 
the industry furnishes employment to several thousand 
men. From here it is shipped to all parts of the world, 
the foreign shipments generally being made from Port 
Tampa. 

The Central Lake Region of Florida produces more 
oranges and grapefruit than any other section of the 
state, and these two citrus fruits are the greatest products 
of the peninsula. A good year means millions of dollars 
to the producer, and a severe frost means a tremendous 
loss. The most of this region is practically free from 
frost, and only a very unusual freeze makes its presence 



218 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

felt. Oranges grow wild in places, and the handsome 
fruit may be seen glowing like lamps amidst the green 
foliage. The wild fruit is much sourer than the culti- 
vated varieties. Some are so bitter-sour that they taste 
almost like a lemon that has been flavored with quinine — 
not so bitter as the Peruvian bark nor so sour as the 
lemon, but an agreeable compromise between the two. 

There are few things in the w^orld finer to look upon 
than a large orange grove. We must admit that an 
apple orchard or a cherry orchard is beautiful, but, under 
the ardent skies of Florida, the orange takes their place. 
The orange is the choicest product that the sun and soil 
can grow down here, and the charm of the groves grows 
upon one the longer he remains. It is most delightful in 
the blossoming season. Just picture in your mind sev- 
eral hundred trees, which are literally one solid mass of 
densely crowded orange blossoms. The volume of frag- 
rance emanating from such a grove is almost indescrib- 
able. It rolls in invisible clouds before the trade breezes, 
and a single grove will perfume the air with ineffable 
sweetness for a quarter of a mile on every side. You do 
not have to go to the flowers, as you do with the rose, but 
the perfume comes to you. It is no wonder that every 
tree is alive with the honey gatherers and they seem to be 
almost drunken with the perfume, for it is said they do 
not secure as much honey from these blossoms as from 
common weeds. 

An orange orchard consists of rows of trees, with 
round tops which are from twelve to fifteen feet in di- 
ameter. By the modern method only about seventy trees 
are planted to the acre, placed in rows twenty-five feet 
apart. For the first two or three years the young trees 
do not take up much room but they require constant culti- 
vation, fertilization and careful attention. During this 



The Central Lake District 219 

period other crops are planted between the rows in order 
to pay for the upkeep of the grove. In a good season 
the golden globes literally cover the trees, and the green 
leaves project themselves here and there just enough to 
create a proper setting. The ground is covered with the 
fallen fruit for several months, just as apples lie on the 
ground in our northern orchards. Those which have 
fallen are the richest and sweetest fruit, if they have not 
been allowed to lie too long. The early oranges are 
picked in November, and from that time onward there are 
oranges ripening until April. Some varieties will hang 
to the trees for several weeks longer and grow sweeter 
each day. Those intended for shipment to northern 
markets are invariably plucked before they are thoroughly 
sweetened on the trees. Hence it is that northern buyers 
do not usually experience the delicious flavor of the per- 
fected orange. The grower goes up and down his grove 
with shears and a bag and cuts enough of the choicest 
fruit to fill his orders for the day. These are placed one 
by one in a sorter in the packing house, down which the 
orange rolls until it finds just the slide that fits its size. 
It then rolls to one side and drops into its own box. At 
least ten different sizes are sorted by this mechanical 
method. 

A quarter of a century ago the wild grapefruit grew 
at random in Florida. It was not cultivated, except for 
the shade of the tree and the beauty of the great spheres 
of yellow fruit which hung upon it. This fruit was 
brought to Florida by the Spaniards and was left by them 
as a heritage to Americans, but it was not considered 
edible. This seems almost incredible to us today, know- 
ing the great demand that exists for it throughout the 
north, and even in Florida itself. It is a tree that is very 
particular about the soil in which it is planted, even more 



220 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

particular than the orange. Florida soil differs greatly 
in its quality. While grapefruit may flourish lustily in 
one place, a half-mile away it cannot be cultivated even 
-with the greatest care. 

A grape fruit grove is a beautiful sight, almost indis- 
tinguishable from the orange, and it is a delight to wan- 
der around in one. It is surprising to see the number of 
grapefruit that will grow upon a single tree. You may 
find a single limb, no larger than the wrist, upon which a 
hundred may be counted. All of them are great globes 
that look almost like pale gold. It does not seem possible 
that a tree can assimilate enough material from the soil 
and the air to produce so many hundreds of these fruit, 
and it also seems marvellous that a tree can sustain the 
weight of them. Although the fruit can be plucked 
earlier, they are usually allowed to remain on the trees 
until March. Then it is that the blossoms are beginning 
to appear which make the grove a scene of peculiar 
beauty. Out of the green foliage shine these golden 
globes, while the edges of the branches are tipped with 
the beautiful white flowers from which arises a scene that 
is almost overwhelming. No beverage is more refresh- 
ing than the juice of the grapefruit as it is plucked from 
the tree. One end is cut off and the juice drank from it 
as the pulp is crushed with one's two hands. 



Yhe Seven Mile Bridge. 



CHAPTER XII 

THE AMERICAN RIVIERA 

The east coast of Florida has already developed into 
one of the famous playgrounds of the world. Because 
of the influence of the Gulf Stream, it enjoys unusual 
natural advantages, and there is a splendid equability of 
temperature. There is a general absence of foggy and 
rainy days, a preponderance of sunshine, and an oppor- 
tunity for sea bathing every day in the year without join- 
ing the " polar club." Although the summers are long, 
the extreme heat is less than would naturally be expected, 
and the nights are almost invariably pleasant. 

Regardless of the fact that this delectable climate of 
the east coast has existed ever since the Caucasian dis- 
covered the New World, its development has come about 
only in recent years. A third of a century ago its attrac- 
tions and advantages were practically unknown in the 
North, and the number of people scattered along this 
coast were negligible. In fact, in the whole state the 
entire population was only a little in excess of a quarter 
of a million. A visit to Florida in 1884 by Henry M. 
Flagler was epochal. The story goes that he was sent 
there for his health, and it was at St. Augustine that he 
first began to appreciate Florida. Little did people dream 
what the advent of this captain of industry meant in the 
future for that commonwealth. It was on that occasion 
that he made his initial investment when he purchased 
some marsh land within the city gates of St. Augustine, 
221 



222 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

filled it up, and began the work of erecting the palatial 
Ponce de Leon Hotel, 

A couple of years later Mr. Flagler obtained possession 
of a narrow gauge railroad that was already in operation 
between St. Augustine and Jacksonville. This short 
stretch of track became the initial section of the future 
Florida East Coast Railroad, to which the eastern coast 
of our most southerly state owes its marvellous develop- 
ment as a winter playground. A steel bridge was con- 
structed at Jacksonville and, for the first time, St. Augus- 
tine, the " ancient city," was linked by continuous iron 
rails with the rest of the United States. This was in the 
year 1887, and it was in that year that the Ponce de Leon 
Hotel opened its doors to the traveling public. For St. 
Augustine Mr. Flagler built a number of blocks of houses, 
erected several churches and schools, and made many 
other improvements. In fact, whenever a town was 
platted, arrangements were contemporaneously made to 
supply a church and a school — and he was not particular 
as to the denomination of the religion to be supplied. 
The new St. Augustine practically dates from that year. 

The severe periodical frosts of Northern Florida set 
Mr. Flagler to thinking. He concluded to extend his 
railroad far enough south to be beyond all frost danger. 
In company with his surveyors he investigated nearly 
three hundred miles of the east coast. At Lake Worth he 
halted. Although the bare little island across the lake 
held out no promise to the engineers, Mr. Flagler looked 
upon it with the eye of a prophet. He soon initiated his 
plans for a railroad to extend much farther along the 
Atlantic coast. A short railway was already in existence, 
in the direction of Palatka, and this was purchased from 
the owners. Another unimportant line from San Mateo 
to Daytona was added to the growing system. The 



The American Riviera 223 

Hotel Ormond was purchased and operated by the rail- 
road, in the effort to bring visitors farther toward the 
tropics. In 1892 a charter was obtained for an extension 
to Miami and Key West, and the road was begun shortly 
afterwards. Within two years trains were running as 
far as Palm Beach, where land had already been secured 
for hotel sites and a town plat. In that same year the 
Royal Poinciana was opened, and West Palm Beach was 
ready for inhabitants, with paved streets, water works, 
and a public school building already prepared for the 
anticipated population. In the following year the steel 
rails were extended to Miami, where another city was 
laid out and the Royal Palms Hotel constructed. 

With the completion of the railroad to Miami the rail- 
road construction halted for several years. In 1905 it 
was extended to Homestead, and two years later the real 
work of construction out over the Keys to Key West was 
initiated. The first through train to Key West reached 
that city on the 22nd of January, 1912, completing a sys- 
tem of more than five hundred miles through an unde- 
veloped country, and including a length of viaduct con- 
struction that is unrivaled in the entire world. It was the 
energy and prophetic vision of this one man to which the 
east coast owes its rapid progress and prosperity. He 
opened up to the continent a new pleasure ground and a 
field for useful labor. 

There are many towns on the east coast that extend 
welcoming hands to the tourist. The principal amuse- 
ment provided for them is golf, and good courses will be 
found at all the principal resorts. Many new ones have 
been and are now being constructed. Miami and Palm 
Beach glory in two courses each, while St. Augustine has 
three, including a fine new eighteen-hole course. Golf 
courses will also be found at Atlantic Beach, Ormond, 



224 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

Daytona, Rockledge, Melbourne and Hobe Sound. Ten- 
nis enthusiasts are also given the opportunity to play on 
good courts, while horseback riding, bicycling and croquet 
also have their numerous devotees, for the tourists are 
not satisfied to idle away all their time on the porches and 
upon the beaches. 

Daytona has a real charm. Built in a veritable forest 
of oaks, palmettoes and the glossy magnolias, the houses 
appear only an incidental feature of the whole. Daytona 
is becoming a residence city, as well as a resort town. It 
is not such a place for fashionable pilgrimage as are some 
of the other resort towns, but many northern people 
spend almost the entire winter season here. The city 
dates from 1870, when it was founded by Mathias Day, 
of Mansfield, Ohio. It was at first named Tomoka, but 
the name Daytona was afterwards bestowed upon it. 
The site has many natural beauties. The streets are in 
many places overarched with the live oaks, from which 
hang festoons of the beautiful Spanish moss. The vista 
down some of the streets is one that the northern visitor 
will not quickly forget, for it is both curious and beauti- 
ful. The many attractive houses give Daytona the ap- 
pearance of a home city, although hotels and boarding 
houses will be found scattered all over the town. Beach 
Street, that parallels the river, is the principal thorough- 
fare, and Ridgewood Avenue is the show street. 

Just across the broad Halifax River from Daytona are 
Seabreeze and Daytona Beach. It would be impossible 
for the visitor to distinguish where Daytona Beach ended 
and Seabreeze began, but they are distinct corporations. 
They are situated upon the rather narrow peninsula, aver- 
aging only half a mile in width, which separates the river 
from the ocean, and both towns are growing rapidly. 
The peninsula is a succession of ridges rising from twenty 



The American Riviera 225 

to thirty feet above the ocean. Both palmettoes and oaks 
fringe the river banks, while gigantic oleanders, roses 
and orange trees will also be found growing there. 
Where the surface has not been cleared, it will be found 
covered with a veritable jungle of rather dwarfed trees. 
Where clearings have been made, it is surprising to find 
the success that follows planting even on the sandiest 
dunes. Three long toll bridges connect the peninsula 
with the mainland, and ferries also run at frequent inter- 
vals. 

It was at Daytona that I first began to love the mocking 
bird. Everywhere, throughout Florida, the air is vibrant 
with bird voices, both of those making their permanent 
homes and of others migrating north or south ; but it was 
here that I learned to distinguish and identify the beauti- 
ful mocker. At first I thought it was a cardinal singing, 
for he was imitating a few notes of that bird, but the song 
soon convinced me it was a different bird. A little search 
revealed the modest little mocker singing as if his heart 
was overflowing with melody. Thereafter I was on the 
lookout for this charming songster. It seemed to me 
that, everywhere I went, a mocking bird quickly perched 
himself nearby and rendered a concert for my especial 
benefit. The mockers were as numerous and familiar as 
robins in a northern yard. 

The first sound heard in the morning was a mocker 
seated on the topmost limb of a tree, or perched upon 
a roof or chimney, whence he filled the air with golden 
notes of melody which floated into my room. If I rested 
myself in a seat in the business section, it was not long 
until a mocker perched himself on a telephone pole or 
wire and began to warble. His beautiful song reminds 
me so much of the better-known catbird of the North. 
His tail is a trifle longer, and the slate color has shaded 



226 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

into gray, with white bars on wings and tail. As the 
sun was going down in a flame of red, as brilliant as the 
color of the scarlet tanager, I would still hear the mock- 
ing bird's notes from some place not far distant. Some- 
times a half dozen might be audible at the same time. 

The more I saw of the mocking bird the more I loved 
him, for the better your acquaintance the greater your 
admiration. While singing, he sits so soulful and de- 
mure, and so oblivious to everything around him, that 
you can not help but admire his modesty. His gray 
throat swells and he keeps his tail flirting like a pump 
handle. He seems to be singing almost heavenly melo- 
dies, without any thought other than that of the pure 
joy of living. Many times have I approached within ten 
or twelve feet of his perch, and even walked around it, 
without disturbing his song in the least. I found that 
he loves to pour forth his full-throated song from the 
tip of an orange tree, when the scent of the bloom over- 
powers all other odors. He is also by nature a public 
performer, and seems to love an audience. He becomes 
less musical as the place grows wilder, so that his best 
performance takes place in the villages and cities. It 
is in the crotch of some orange tree that he frequently 
builds his nest, which is made of twigs and stalks of 
weeds rather roughly placed, which are lined with silky 
or cotton fibre from roadside weeds. This he does in 
March when the fervid sun of that month is pouring 
forth its resplendent heat. In this are laid the pale green 
eggs with brownish blotchings. 

On the ocean side of the peninsula, from Mosquito 
Inlet to Ormond, are about eighteen or twenty miles of 
the hardest, smoothest and broadest beach that can be 
found anywhere. As a rule beaches are much the same 
the world over, but this beach is unique in itself. In 



The American Riviera 227 

the busy season, one will find many things of interest on 
the beach. At low tide it forms the most perfect auto- 
mobile road, for no road builders can construct such a 
perfect roadway as is prepared here each day by the 
outgoing tide, and perfectly renewed twice daily. Dur- 
ing the winter season it is traversed by motor vehicles 
of all kinds, from motor cycles to the most powerful 
automobiles ever constructed by the ingenuity of man. 
Racing cars thunder by here, breaking the world's records 
for speed, so that an occasional horse-drawn vehicle 
seems strangely out of date in this day of swift-moving 
things. 

The beach is a most delightful place for bathing. 
There is not usually such a heavy surf as at Atlantic 
City, but for this very reason it has the advantage that 
it is easier for the swimmer who has neither the skill 
nor the courage to dash through the breakers in his 
swimming attempts. There is scarcely a day in the 
winter when the swimmers wall not be found here by the 
scores, although the water is colder than at Palm Beach 
or Miami. The white beach itself, shimmering away 
in the distance under the bright sunlight, with a long and 
graceful curve, is a sight not easily forgotten, and is the 
greatest attraction of all here at Daytona. It is a scene 
that the visitor will return to day after day, even if he 
does not plunge into the surf or ride along the beach 
under gasoline propulsion. Ormond is a half dozen 
miles farther north than Daytona, and is built also upon 
the peninsula between the Halifax River and the Atlantic. 
Automobiling is naturally one of the chief sports here, be- 
cause of the beach road, and golf is played by many on 
the excellent course to be found here. The Hotel Or- 
mond is one of the resorts of fashion on this coast. 

The Halifax River is not really a river — it is a salt 



228 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

lagoon lying between the mainland and the narrow strip 
of land that follows the outline of the shore. It is rather 
shallow, and is connected with the ocean at intervals. 
At low tide sand-bars and oyster beds occupy much of 
its breadth. Oysters are found there by the billions. 
Their use was certainly well known to pre-historic races, 
if one is to judge by the great heaps of shells found 
on or near the banks of the river. Some of them form 
miniature hills here in this flat country. How those 
aborigines must have feasted to leave such heaps of shells 
behind them! Had they continued here long enough, 
they might have transformed the shores of the Halifax 
and Hillsboro rivers into a veritable hilly country. The 
shells from these mounds have been employed in making 
roadway for many scores of miles, and no appreciable 
diminution has yet been made on the available supply. 

The Halifax is a national bird reserve, and the feath- 
ered creatures seem to realize it. Wild ducks of all 
the kinds that tempt sportsmen swim along almost un- 
consciously, and will sometimes permit a boat to approach 
quite near. It may be tempting to a professional bird 
hunter, but it seems to me far greater sport to watch 
them swimming along and feeding in their own natural 
way. Many other birds will be seen, among which the 
most conspicuous are doubtless the several species of 
herons. One or more of them is almost constantly in 
sight. Like most fisher birds, the herons are generally 
alone, seeming unwilling to share with others, even of 
the same family, thus revealing a rather unsocial nature. 
The term stateliness certainly applies to the great blue 
heron. In patrolling an oyster bar, which is one of his 
favorite occupations, he does not seem to take more 
than two or three steps a minute. When rising to his 
wings or settling down into the water, every movement 



The American Riviera 229 

seems studied and deliberate. He carefully inspects the 
entire scene, as if looking to see whether or not some 
enemy may be lying in wait. He is a model of patience, 
for he seems to stand for hours at a time, with water 
half way up to his knees, leaning forward expectantly for 
a choice morsel to approach within his range. 

The Tomoka River affords a delightful excursion here, 
and steamers are run daily for those who cannot afford 
a special launch. The entrance to the river is about 
three or four miles north of Ormond. This river was 
named after a tribe of Indians who inhabited this region 
in the early days. Tomoka is the common spelling, but 
it is also spelled in early manuscripts as Timagua, 
Timuaca, and Tomoca. One of the first books ever 
translated into an Indian dialect was a version of the 
catechism into the language of this tribe. From its 
mouth the river very slowly winds inland in long and easy 
curves, and is contined within wooded banks. It is 
generally a narrow stream, and the swash of the waters 
will be heard along the shore as the little boat pushes 
its way along. An occasional alligator will be sighted 
along the bank, for this is one of the streams in which 
these ugly creatures are found. As the boat ascends, 
the river becomes attenuated and vegetation becomes 
more and more of a tangle, as well as more tropical. 
Palmettos and live oaks overhang the banks, while the 
dark waters flow sluggishly along underneath. The 
variety of coloring in the vegetation is unusual and 
astonishing to one who is making his first trip to this 
semi-tropical land. 

A short distance inland from Daytona, and just far 
enough for a delightful automobile trip, is Deland. 
The route is over an undeveloped country, but these 
lonely stretches of rather desolate pine lands have a 



230 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

charm all their own. It does not seem monotonous to 
me, for there is ever a freshness and a beauty in the 
scene. About Deland there has been much citrus de- 
velopment. This city is a popular place with hundreds 
of winter visitors, and many have established their winter 
residences here. The streets are shaded with beautiful 
trees which add to the charm of the place. It is the home 
of the John B. Stetson University, a Baptist institution, 
founded by the man whose name it bears, and who had 
his winter home here for many years. The university 
has a number of departments, and its standard is high. 
Not far distant are the De Leon Springs, where a con- 
siderable stream flows out from a pool in which these 
springs bubble forth. 

It was here at these springs that I saw an incident 
which reveals the combative nature of the bluejay. I 
was attracted by a commotion in the woods and the 
evident excitement of a number of blue jays. They 
seemed to be flying around another bird, which occasion- 
ally moved its position. Approaching nearer, I found 
that this other bird was none other than a small owl. 
What the owl had done, I know not. It may have robbed 
a nest or taken a young bird, but the excitement and 
resentment were unmistakable. They would dart at the 
owl and take a peck at his head, and fly around him, 
uttering their harsh cries. At least a score of the blue- 
jays were there, and all of them were making life miser- 
able for the poor owl, which seemed to stare around 
hopelessly. Its great eyes were even more staring than 
usual, for it was evidently frightened. At last it flew 
away and disappeared in a convenient hole in a tree. 
The jays flew around the entrance, and one of them 
perched himself near it; but none ventured inside. I 
watched the scene for sometime, and when I left they 



The American Riviera 231 

were still on guard awaiting the appearance of the hated 
owl. 

New Smyrna (pronounced Suh-myr-na) is about 
fifteen miles south of Daytona, and is situated in a dense 
oak hammock. It is one of the oldest settlements in 
Florida. It is even claimed to antedate St. Augustine. 
Of its early history little has been discovered in authentic 
records. Likewise scant information has ever been un- 
earthed of the aborigines' occupation, although there are 
many shell mounds in the neighborhood, from which 
pottery, weapons and other traces of early occupants 
have been unearthed. These shells have been used to 
construct some splendid roads. 

The largest of these mounds is known as Turtle 
Mound, and is a dozen miles south of New Smyrna. It 
is sixty feet high and three hundred feet long. One 
can trace the annual accumulation of shells in the various 
layers. There are shells of both univalves and bivalves. 
By loosening the shells here and there, the visitor will 
occasionally uncover some rude bone implement. This 
mound is in a thicket of Spanish bayonet and has been 
visited by few travelers. It lies in an isolated position 
by reason of which its natural height is accentuated. 
I wonder if the present rush of tourists to these shores 
will leave such a striking memento behind them for 
future explorers to uncover and speculate about. 

During the Civil War New Smyrna came into the lime- 
light again, for the Mosquito Inlet was frequently used 
by the blockade runners. Two United States gunboats 
entered the inlet and attacked New Smyrna. The 
wharves and many buildings were totally destroyed in 
order to ruin everything that might be of advantage 
to the blockade runners. 

A few miles from New Smyrna are some remains of 



232 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

a Spanish mission. They are undoubtedly ruins of an 
old church and a cloister, but it is not generally believed 
that they antedate the latter part of the seventeenth cen- 
tury. They are hidden way back in the green forests, 
and are difficult to find v^^ithout the assistance of some- 
one who is familiar with the country. The road runs 
out through a splendid semi-tropical forest of live oaks, 
magnolias, palmettos, sweetgums, maples and hickories, 
with here and there a long-leafed pine overtopping all 
the rest. Great air plants grow from every available 
space, as it seems. In some places the ferns almost 
completely cover the upper surface of many of the large 
branches, while huge vines are twisted about the trunks 
or dropped straight from the treetops to the ground. 
One could almost believe himself in the heart of a limit- 
less forest. ' 

At one time, probably by the English, the buildings 
were used as a sugar mill. There are some fragments 
of wall built of coquina, and there are two or three arched 
windows, as well as an arched door. One's imagination 
adds to the interest of the scene and supplies the missing 
links. The ruin stands in the middle of what was once a 
splendid orange grove and is generally known as the old 
sugar mill. Today it seems like a place to linger and 
dream dreams, while the birds make a mighty effort 
to entertain the visitor. One of these is the brown- 
headed nuthatch. Its notes are pleasing and musical, 
and it is such a cheerful and thrifty bird that one loves 
its very presence. The nuthatches are sociable, and may 
be seen in small flocks at which time they maintain an 
almost incessant twitter as they flit hither and thither 
through the woods. 

There are also some ruins of an old sugar mill between 
New Smyrna and Daytona, near Port Orange, which are 



The American Riviera 233 

visited by many, but their true history is likewise un- 
determined. They are situated in a clearing in the 
woods. The mill probably dates from the period of 
English occupation, near the end of the eighteenth 
century. Quite a bit of the machinery is still left, 
and the boiling kettles are in a good state of preserva- 
tion. 

It is a long ways from the island of Minorca, on the 
eastern coast of Spain, to Florida, and there seems to be 
no natural connection between the two. Nevertheless 
one of the many romantic incidents in Florida history is 
intimately associated with that little white-cliffed island 
and the olive-embosomed villages that nestle on the 
slopes. When a province of England, a colony of the 
famous shepherds of Minorca, long famed for their skill 
with the sling, were brought to Florida by Andrew Turn- 
bull, an English physician and gentleman of fortune, as- 
sociated with whom for a time was Sir William Duncan. 
Turnbull and his associates had been granted a tract of 
sixty thousand acres of land on condition that certain 
improvements should be made upon it within a designated 
time. By the payment of several hundred pounds, he 
was also granted the privilege of bringing colonists to 
his new enterprise. 

Having a Greek wife, Dr. Turnbull named his new 
settlement New Smyrna after Smyrna, her birthplace. 
He sailed for the Mediterranean regions to obtain his 
needed colonists, and succeeded in securing a few Greeks 
and Italians, but on his voyage toward the west stopped 
at Minorca. He intended to embark in the cultivation 
of indigo and other English planters had successfully 
utilized the inhabitants of this island. In all, about 
fifteen hundred men, women and children were brought 
over to the New World by the Turnbull syndicate in 1767 



234 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

and settled on the tropical shores of Florida, where the 
prosperous town of New Smyrna is now located. The 
place chosen for the settlment was well selected. It was 
a fertile ridge of land where the magnolia bloomed and 
the orange grew in its wild state by the side of the jas- 
mine. Their indentures required them, in consideration 
of the sums paid for their passage and support, to labor 
for the proprietors a certain number of years. At the 
end of this time they were to receive grants of land in 
proportion to the number of persons in their families. 
The expectant Minorcans built their huts of the palmetto 
that abounded, and planted cuttings of the vine and fig 
which they had brought from their native island. With 
hopeful hearts and willing hands they began the work 
of clearing the wilderness and preparing the soil for the 
crops of indigo and sugar that were to follow. A great 
deal of labor was expended in making various permanent 
improvements, among which was the stone wharf which 
still remains* 

Only too soon the Minorcans and their associates 
learned of the duplicity that had been practiced upon 
them. They had been indentured by articles that 
guaranteed their support and a liberal allowance of land 
at the end of three years. Unrequited toil and patient 
suffering were met by tyranny and cruelty born of 
cupidity. They complained that insufficient provisions 
were allowed them, and that they were otherwise treated 
with injustice. As a result of their hard labor canals 
were dug, some of which still stand to this day. There 
are also faint traces of ridges and furrows, which are 
said to have been associated with the culture of indigo. 
A palace, or rather a castle, was erected, the foundations 
of which still stand, and this was the residence of Dr. 
Turnbull. Within a few years several thousand acres 



The American Riviera 235 

were under cultivation, and the value of the crop had 
grown to a considerable sum. 

Little regard was shown by the syndicate for its 
promises to the poor colonists, who had been alienated 
from their homes and kindred by seductive promises. A 
man by the name of Cutter seemed to be the most heart- 
less. In 1769 the first insurrection arose, on account of 
severe punishments inflicted upon some of the colonists, 
and a number of them attempted to escape. For this 
purpose they seized several small craft and fitted them 
out from the company's stores. As they were embarking 
for Havana a detachment of English soldiers inoppor- 
tunely appeared, just in time to intercept the flight. 
The leaders were arrested and brought to trial. As Dr. 
Turnbull was a man of great influence, it was not a 
difficult matter to convict several men of alleged crimes. 
One was found guilty of shooting a cow, which at that 
time was punishable by death. Another had chopped off 
Cutter's ear and two of his fingers. One was convicted 
as the leader of the conspiracy and two others for raiding 
the storehouse. These five were condemned to death, 
but two were pardoned. A third was granted clemency 
on condition that he execute the other two. " Long and 
obstinate was the struggle in this man's mind," wrote one 
of the jurors, " who repeatedly called out that he chose 
to die rather than be the executioner of his friends in 
distress. ... At length the entreaties of the victims 
themselves put an end to the conflict in his heart 
by encouraging him to act. Now we beheld a man, 
thus compelled to mount a ladder, take leave of his 
friends in the most moving manner, kissing them the 
moment before he committed them to an ignominious 
death." 

In this way was the revolt at New Smyrna suppressed. 



^36 Florida; The Land of Enchantment 

The colonists returned to their taskmasters and once 
more toiled for them in the indigo and cane fields. Al- 
though the wrongs of the Minorcans were well known in 
the other colonies, no one had the courage to interfere 
in their behalf. Worn out by their incessant toil, and 
longing for their distant homes, many perished. In nine 
years it is said that the original number had dwindled 
to about six hundred. If any attempted to escape, they 
were returned by negro slaves for the sake of a reward. 
In 1776 revolt was in the air everywhere. Three of the 
men requested permission to go down the coast to hunt 
for turtles. Once safely away they immediately started 
with all possible speed for St. Augustine. Here they 
appealed to Mr. Yonge, the attorney-general, by whom 
they were kindly received. Encouraged by their recep- 
tion, these men returned to New Smyrna. It was not 
long until the colonists armed themselves with rude 
weapons and made preparations for flight. They started 
for St. Augustine under the leadership of one Pellacier, 
a carpenter. Forming the people into a hollow square, 
with the weak and infirm in the center, the band of fugi- 
tives bid farewell to their palmetto huts. When Turn- 
bull returned and found his helpers gone, he ordered 
pursuit. Legal proceedings were begun which were de- 
cided in favor of the colonists. Their indentures were 
cancelled, and they were released from all obligations 
to the proprietors of the colony. Lands were allotted 
them in the northern part of St. Augustine, where some 
of their descendants still dwell. Others returned to 
New Smyrna, when they found out that there was no 
danger of further enslavement. The indigo fields and 
sugar mills fell into decay, and kindly nature drew a 
mantle of green over the scenes of the unhappy experi- 
ences of the Minorcan immigrants. The loss to the 



The American Riviera 237 

syndicate must have been enormous, but no one sheds 
any tears over that fact. 

It is about one hundred and seventy-five miles from 
New Smyrna to Palm Beach, and in recent years con- 
siderable development has taken place along the route. 
A number of small towns have arisen, as if by the touch 
of Aladdin's lamp, some of which seem to promise a 
prosperous future. It used to be that everyone glided 
by here on Pullmans, peering through the windows with 
road-weary eyes that saw little, or they sailed down 
the Indian River through its sparkling waters. Now the 
splendid roads lure many, and the spiteful toot of the 
warning horn is a very common sound. Titusville is an 
old town which used to be the head of navigation and 
was the marketing place for the famous oranges grown 
on Merritt's Island. Cocoa is now the station for this 
island, which took its name from a man who once had 
thriving plantations on it, but which were later abandoned 
by him. Fort Pierce dates from the time of the Sem- 
inole War. It has now developed into a fairly thriving 
town, and is a prominent fishing point. Many strange 
and unusual members of the finny tribe will be found in 
the catches. 

We are here in the pineapple country, which extends 
almost to Miami. They are planted on the sandy ridges 
next to the Indian River. In some places they are pro- 
tected by sheds, and in others the broad lagoons of water 
shield them. But winter sometimes sets his mark on 
them as, when I saw them, the prickly green lances had 
turned into a sickly straw yellow. This stretch of 
country is said to be the best adapted to the cultivation 
of this delicious fruit, and the ripened fruit are ready 
for the table generally in May. 

Leaving Palm Beach, the road, going south, passes 



238 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

through a new country, where a number of towns have 
sprung up within recent years. Lantana lies near the 
lower end of Lake Worth. Boynton is situated only a 
mile from the ocean, of which there are many beautiful 
views, and many hedges of bananas will be seen here. 
Delray began with a settlement of Michigan people. 
Yamato is a Japanese settlement. 

Forty miles south of Palm Beach lies the town of 
Fort Lauderdale. Considerable development is being 
made along the coast in the growth of citrus fruits and 
pineapples. In some of the rich hammock lands one will 
find a veritable riot of semi-tropical vegetation. Fort 
Lauderdale derives its name from the fact that it was 
the site of a fort during the Seminole War. Even to 
this day it is a trading-post for the remnants of that 
once-warring tribe. It was, in early days, the home 
of men who were somewhat of the wild western type. 
Fort Lauderdale is a prosperous town and growing 
year by year. Motor cars now spin along this road at 
forty miles or more an hour, where formerly it took 
two days to travel between Lake Worth and Biscayne 
Bay. 

Fort Lauderdale is situated near the mouth of the 
New River, and is growing to greater importance as the 
reclamation work of the Everglades advances, for it lies 
at the mouth of one of the drainage canals of that im- 
mense project. It has become a center for truck farm- 
ing. While northern farmers are resting, the gardeners 
at Fort Lauderdale are preparing to supply northern 
markets with beans, tomatoes, peas, eggplant, peppers and 
other table products. The river forks above the town, 
but the main drainage canal continues up toward the 
head of the North Fork. The Seminole Indians are still 
frequent visitors to Fort Lauderdale, and there is gener- 





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The American Riviera 239 

ally a small encampment of them very near the city 
limits. 

Proceeding south from Fort Lauderdale, one will find 
such thriving settlements as Dania, Hallandale, Little 
River, Lemon City and Buena Vista. At Arch Creek is 
a natural bridge of coral rock, which is a curious arch 
formation. 

A journey of twenty-five miles brings the traveler to 
Miami, which claims the distinction of being the most 
southerly city on the mainland of the United States. 
The site is well chosen at the mouth of the river of the 
same name, and on Biscayne Bay. The bay stretches 
away in front of the town to the keys that separate it 
from the ocean, making an attractive body of water. 
It has been called the " Magic City," for there was only 
a hamlet here at the advent of the railway. Fort Dallas, 
a relic of the Seminole War, was there, and is one of 
the buildings still in use by a private club, which caters 
to those having Monte Carlo tastes. 

Many tales are related of life in the pioneer days of 
this neighborhood, but it is difficult to distinguish between 
legend and truth. Being out of touch with all the world, 
excepting the Indians, the early settlers were as isolated 
as if they were on an island. Stories of wrecking oper- 
ations and treasure buried by sea rovers, who came here 
when hard pressed, are still related. The coming of rail 
connection with the outer world changed things in Miami, 
as it did all along the coast. This was not accomplished 
until 1896. In that same year Miami was incorporated 
as a city. Its growth has been so rapid that it never 
passed through the preliminary village stage. If not so 
picturesque a place as Palm Beach, it impresses you as 
infinitely more useful. It is a business town, as well as a 
winter resort ; but its business is fruit growing. There- 



240 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

fore you see no smoke-belching factory chimneys. 
Where nothing was a few years ago, you now see great 
brick buildings, commodious hotels, splendid banks, 
churches, schools and residential houses. 

Since its incorporation, Miami has grown marvellously. 
It is today one of the most delightful cities in Florida. 
It bids well to become a white city, for buildings with 
white faqades facing the street predominate in the busi- 
ness section of the city, and the streets are almost white. 
This custom is indeed commendable for a city so new. 
The residence section is extending out in every direction. 
There are many splendid hotels, and more of them con- 
stantly in course of erection. The oldest, and still the 
most noted, is the Royal Palm, built by the railway 
promoters. In it centers to a great extent the social 
life of the winter visitors. It is set in the midst of ex- 
tensive gardens, where the landscape artist has exerted 
himself in attempting to please the eye. Splendid roads 
offer attractive excursions, and the blue waters lure many 
yachts to Miami. The yachting life centers around the 
beautiful home of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club. With 
its many attractions and good climate, this city is one 
of the really desirable winter resorts of our land. Boat 
after boat goes out each day after the fish that abound 
in the surrounding water. When the boats return the 
docks will sometimes be fairly covered with the denizens 
of the deep that have fallen victims to the fisherman's 
" bunco " and bait. A record of the large catches for 
each season is carefully kept. Sea bathing can be in- 
dulged in at all times on the keys across the bay. on which 
are located some of the finest homes in the city. 

The Miami River runs up into the Everglades, and 
there are boats that carry excursionists up there. It is 
a small tide-water stream that flows slowly. The shores 



Cape Floridfi T/i^ht House. Miami 



The American Riviera 241 

are lined with mangrove trees, and their tangled branches 
have nearly as many pendant roots as they have twigs. 
Openings will be seen in the surrounding forest growth 
where farmers have begun their work. Each farmer 
has his own little dock and a boat or two with which 
he carries his produce down to Miami. On the upward 
journey the' stream continues to narrow until it is hardly 
wide enough to row a boat. After a while the Ever- 
glade marshes are entered, with little wooded knolls 
standing out from the level of saw-grass. 

Just a little south of Miami, and near the ocean, is 
growing up a charming residence section known as 
Cocoanut Grove. It has already become a literal suc- 
cession of villas, many of which are extremely beauti- 
ful. The free growth of tropical foliage enables the 
owners to render the surroundings most charming. One 
villa owner prefers the royal palm, and he has arranged 
these in majestic rows. His neighbor prefers the cocoa- 
nut; hence his walks and drives are bordered by these 
trees. And so it is that each owner has followed his 
individual taste. One man is spending a fortune in 
creating a great and exclusive estate bounded by a high 
wall on all sides. It looks more like an Italian villa 
on a large scale than anything else. A number of well- 
known literary people, as well as those prominent in other 
walks of life, have established their homes here. There 
is a path between the houses and bay front that affords 
an enchanting view of the cocoanut grove colony. 



CHAPTER XIII 

PALM BEACH 

Palm Beach and West Palm Beach are separated 
only by the waters of Lake Worth. West Palm Beach 
was probably intended only as an adjunct to its more 
noted vis-a-vis, in which the necessary commercial enter- 
prises of a busy community might be located. It still 
supplies these wants, but it has also, through the enter- 
prise of its citizens, built up both a commercial and tour- 
ist business of its own. Those who cannot afford, or do 
not care for, the luxury of Palm Beach hotels remain in 
West Palm Beach at a much less expense, while still near 
to all the life of the rival place. Frequent ferries pass 
between the two towns across Lake Worth, while there 
are also bridges for foot passengers and vehicles. 

A score of years ago the sandy island called Palm 
Beach was almost a barren waste. Today it is as well- 
established an institution as Niagara Falls or Yellowstone 
Park, or any of the famous show places north of Mason 
and Dixon's line. Its very name conjures up in the mind 
of the northerner a vision of hours and days of lazy 
luxury and brightness and of nights that are scarcely less 
brilliant There is hardly a city of any size in America 
that is not represented at some time during the season 
here at Palm Beach, Nice old gentlemen and ladies 
from Kankakee or Kalamazoo rub elbows with gay and 
chattering Cubans and Mexicans. 

How enchanting it is to think that, while it is winter 
at home in Minnesota or New York, down here the 

242 



Palm Beach 243 



citrus groves are white with fragrant blossoms. Here 
one can gaze upon the pahnetto's pluming crest outlined 
against the blue of the subtropical sky, or the gold of the 
orange nestling close to the glossy green of its foliage. 
Garbed in a linen suit, one can read complacently of the 
blizzards that emanate from Medicine Hat. If any- 
thing is lacking to enamour one with the climate, one 
need only peruse a letter from " the folks back home " 
telling how they are shivering with the cold. It will 
even help to compensate for a day or two when one 
cowers over a lukewarm radiator in a hotel built for 
warm weather. 

Palm Beach is unquestionably the most noted of all 
Florida resorts. It did not grow like Topsy; it was 
created. You can still see on the outskirts of West Palm 
Beach how little nature had to do with the building o-f 
this beauty spot. Here is the same sandy and barren 
ridge, upon which grow the rough-barked pine trees of 
low stature. They are all bent westward in regular 
arcs from root to top, for such has been the effect of 
the steady blowing of the easterly trade winds. About 
their roots grow the saw palmetto and little else. 

Palm Beach has now existed long enough for one to 
have some faith in its permanency. Its reputation ex- 
tends far beyond the boundaries of the American con- 
tinent. Almost anyone who has heard of Florida has 
also had some intimation of Palm Beach. Its reputation 
as a fashionable resort for pleasure-loving people is 
world-wide. In addition to the migratory crowd that 
flit in and out for a few days' stay, there is a more per- 
manent element who occupy villas and beautiful homes 
which have sprung up along the lake shores where 
scarcely a blade of grass grew before. Its gay seasons 
have a truly individual note — more so than any other 



244 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

winter resort in these United States, During the season 
many individual yachts are moored in Lake Worth, while 
private cars are almost as common as public coaches. 

Palm Beach was created after a plan, and it was not 
a haphazard development. It was created solely for 
expected visitors, and to accommodate them palatial 
hotels rose over the sandy soil. Yesterday a desert was 
here — today you see the wizardry of the dollar. It has 
the greatest hotels and entertains the most fashionable 
visitors. Hither come the ultra-fashionable from the 
great cities to wear their summer gowns six months 
ahead of time, for it is next summer's and not last 
summer's gowns in which they appear. The Royal 
Poinciana is claimed to be the largest hotel for tourists 
in the world. It is almost a fifth of a mile long, and 
rises to a height of six stories. Accommodation can 
be furnished for two thousand people — as many as a 
fair-sized town. It is almost a city under roof, for 
there is a corridor lined with fashionable shops and a 
number of restaurants. If the hotel does not awe you 
by its size nor charm you by its architecture, the grounds 
are sure to delight you. A gaily dressed crowd throng 
the corridors and broad piazzas. It is truly a cosmo- 
politan assemblage. Not only will people be found from 
every part of our country, but, in normal times, many 
wealthy inhabitants of Europe and rich persons from 
the Latin-American countries will be encountered. 
Many foreign diplomats like to spend a short season 
at Palm Beach. Its season is preposterously short and 
perfervid, but its prices are as high and as exhilarating 
as they used to be in Monte Carlo. There is sport in the 
neighborhood for both rod and gun, but the greatest 
sport is social diversion. Palm Beach is essentially a 
society resort, although golf and tennis receive a fair 



Palm Beach 245 



amount of attention from the visitors. Practically all 
the social activities are out of doors. 

The social tide sways back and forth across the island 
almost as regularly as the ocean tides ebb and flow. 
The official day begins with the bathing hour at eleven- 
thirty, at which time two or three thousand people may 
be assembled before the casino on the beach. Golfers 
will appear earlier than this, and fishermen will be out 
in their boats looking for sport. Officially, however, the 
real day begins at this hour and with this event. A 
few men, and possibly women, who are attempting to 
experiment how near a white man can approach the 
color of a mulatto will be out earlier. It is surprising 
how closely some of these enthusiasts approximate the 
appearance of the " afromobile " propellers. They are 
probably ambitious to take back with them a triple- 
plated coat of tan as an indisputable evidence that they 
have passed the entire winter at Palm Beach. A few 
of the women take the opposite view and regard the 
whiteness of their skin as their chief glory. Rather 
than be disfigured by tan, they even deny themselves the 
pleasure of the surf. They arrive at the beach beneath 
parasols, which are not lowered until they are safely 
established under the green and blue striped canvas tops 
of their beach chairs. To this protection they add that 
of wide hats and thick veils, which mask their faces 
up to the eyes — harem-veils they are called. The beach 
is a study in color, for it is splashed with spots of brilliant 
shades. The colors are blue, purple, pink, green, yellow, 
orange and scarlet, and the objects are parasols, bathing 
suits and canvas shelters — all mingling and vibrating 
together in the bright sunlight. Here is a Venus who 
comes out to the water wearing a brilliantly colored 
satin wrap over her bathing suit. Following her comes 



246 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

an aristocratic sister wearing high-heeled slippers with 
her bathing costume, who steps gracefully to the water's 
edge under the shade of a brightly colored Japanese 
parasol. 

After the bathing hour comes dress inspection, and in 
few places will more elegant costumes be seen. The 
afternoon tea out on the hotel lawn has become a quasi- 
ceremony. There are dances, bridge parties and other 
affairs at both hotels, and the " afromobiles " are kept 
busy carrying the guests back and forth. Each one 
carries an electric light, and at night it looks almost 
like a fairy scene with these lamps flashing among the 
trees. The height of the season extends from about 
Christmas time to early in April. When at its height 
Palm Beach wakes to a whirl of gaiety that is rivakd no- 
where else on this continent. The winter passes swiftly, 
but it is a winter in name only, for it has no suggestion 
of ice or snow. 

One of the institutions of Palm Beach is the Beach 
Club. Although its restaurant is famous, it is primarily 
a gambling club and is run on strict lines. For instance, 
no resident of Florida is permitted to belong. Why? It 
is far more difficult for non-residents to bring suits 
for damages against the proprietors and, besides, few 
Floridians are wealthy enough for a recommendation. 
No man under twenty-five will be admitted to member- 
ship. Even a millionaire is sometimes rejected, although 
a non-resident, for an occasional action of this kind re- 
news the clamorous demand for admission. As one 
watches the members toy with stacks of money idly and 
unthinkingly as with the sands of the sea, it is difficult to 
refrain from considering what these dollars would do for 
humanity — for the submerged tenth. It would be im- 
possible for a person who has spent all his life at manual 



Palm Beach 247 



labor to earn during all those years as much money as 
is thrown away here in a few hours of careless amuse- 
ment. People will part with fabulous sums with a mere 
shrug of the shoulder. The aggregate wealth of the 
crowd here on a typical February night is almost un- 
believable — it would purchase a kingdom. The visitor 
almost stumbles over millionaires. One will see here 
those whose names are familiar the world over, because 
of their wealth and social prominence. One might find 
a couple of score of persons gathered around the tables 
of chance who claim membership in the multi-million- 
aire class. Marvellous gowns sweep the soft carpets of 
the casino, and priceless diamonds glitter from well-be- 
powdered necks, or from uncalloused and dainty fingers. 

The blueness of the sky at Palm Beach is striking, 
and so is the blue of the water. Then there is the vivid 
green of the foliage, besprinkled as it is with many 
colored blossoms, for the deserts have disappeared except 
along the ocean shore. The deep purple of the violet, 
of the beautiful bougainvillea, the butterfly-like flowers 
of the hibiscus and the pure white of the oleanders are 
all seen in profusion. At times there is almost a 
symphony of perfumes, mixed with which is the aroma 
of the pine and scent of salt breeze blowing in from 
the leagues of sapphire sea. It makes one glad to be 
alive and be able to breathe deep and long. 

The barren sands of the peninsula have been enriched 
by the addition of fertilizers, and a veritable tropical 
garden has arisen as if by magic. Great waving palms 
of many species greet you on every side and lend their 
grateful shelter on a hot day. Flowers of many varieties 
greet the eye in every direction here in midwinter. The 
greatest beauty is on the Lake Worth side. A beautiful 
garden extends from the Royal Poinciana to the lake. 



248 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

but most visitors leave before the trees of that name 
are aflame with their brilHant scarlet flowers. You may 
do, as Adam probably did before you, pick the ripened 
cocoanuts from the ground, beat the husk away, bore a 
hole in the one soft spot and drink the cool and refresh- 
ing milk for your refreshment. Thousands of nuts fall 
upon the ground which await the thirsty passer-by. You 
will observe that seed time and harvest are con- 
temporaneous, for young nuts no larger than acorns will 
be seen above you at the same time that the matured 
nuts are dropping. The stately royal palms are much 
different. They stand far apart, and they are as erect 
as if built of unpolished gray granite instead of wood. 
They might well grace the marble palaces of the old 
world, and even of the Pharaohs. Within the grounds of 
the hotel is Whitehall, a colonial style residence built by 
Mr. Flagler for his own use. Down toward the beach 
runs a palm-shaded path for those who walk and a pine- 
bordered path for the wheel chairs and slow-moving 
horse-car still found there. 

You will probably want an automoble without delay. 
None? Then a carriage will do. What! no carriage 
either? There are wheeled vehicles, however, and you 
will soon learn that the general means of conveyance 
is a horseless carriage propelled by a motor with a smil- 
ing charcoal face, such as you have met at Atlantic 
City, which has been termed an " afromobile." There 
are whole squadrons of the chairs. They will be 
seen flitting here and there under the tall cocoanut 
palms and beneath the avenue of pines. Here is a glid- 
ing turn into a narrow tributary of traffic, and you are 
quickly lost in a labyrinth of green, which is called the 
Jungle Trail, that winds its devious way across the 
island. Through tunnels of strange vegetation and past 



Palm Beach 249 



weird trees one flits to emerge finally upon the sea it- 
self. At the beach end is located The Breakers, another 
capacious hotel. In any other place it would be an im- 
posing hostelry in itself. Near this hotel is the bathing 
beach. Here the swimmers make the days gay with their 
splashings and shoutings, while a deep row of interested 
spectators line the pier or the sands during the bathing 
hour. About midday is the most animated scene here, 
for the bathers do not enter the water until about eleven 
o'clock and by one it is again deserted. It is a splendid 
beach and the water is always warm, for the Gulf Stream 
is not far distant from this shore. The great ships that 
pass up and down this coast are always visible from the 
shore, and it would be rare indeed for a day to pass with- 
out a sail being sighted. 

Palm Beach is fantastically rich and idle and gay — 
but absolutely useless, many would claim. Even the 
golfers, who dot the green, appear to do this in order 
to make the wheel chair idleness and porches seem the 
more attractive. Games of chance are discreetly pro- 
vided to further distract one's mind from serious things. 
One of the chief recommendations is that all its gaiety 
is in the open. About the only thing private there is 
the private car or private yacht, in which some of 
the more fortunate have come. Life is lived practi- 
cally in the open, except for the six or eight 
hours devoted to sleep. One will meet the repre- 
sentatives of the real leisure class here in large 
numbers. One hates to leave, for there is a fascina- 
tion in the spot, and most people do depart too 
soon. As soon as the magnolias blossom they bid fare- 
well, but are likely to find pneumonia flourishing at home. 
It would be better to wait until the cypress has put 
forth its green fringes and all the deciduous trees of the 



250 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

woodlands of Florida have announced in unmistakable 
terms that " spring has came " ; until the barren sand- 
dunes have grown gay with the wild morning-glories 
and the soft yellow flowers of the spring cactus. 



CHAPTER XIV 

THE INDIAN RIVER 

The most interesting thing about the Indian River 
is that it is not a river at all. As a matter of fact, it 
is only a salt water sound which varies in width from 
one mile to five miles. In one place it expands to eight 
miles, and continues that dilation for about the same 
distance. It is a strip of the ocean that has been isolated 
from the main body by the long and narrow island which 
has been built up by the coral insect and the action of 
the sea, which rolls in with tireless energy and laves 
the sands with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. 
The Indian River is about one hundred and fifty miles 
in length, and it is fringed on either side by a thousand 
and one points, bays, harbors, coves and islands. To 
those who dwell along its banks, it is the great highway 
of the country, and to them this waterway is exceedingly 
useful. Each house boasts its own small pier, and each 
family possesses its own boat. 

A long and narrow peninsula extends over three- 
fourths of its length and beyond this is the far reaching 
Atlantic, with the Gulf Stream flowing only a few miles 
beyond. This peninsula, or rather ex-peninsub, has been 
constituted an island by the construction of a canal con- 
necting the Hillsboro River with the Indian River. In 
some places this strip of land is only a few yards in 
width, and in the widest place it does not exceed a mile 
from river to ocean. For a long distance by the side 
of the river lies Merritt Island, which is also an elongated 

251 



252 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

island and contains some of the finest and oldest orange 
groves in Florida. To the east of this island lies the 
Banana River. It is thirty miles in length, and its great- 
est width is five miles. By many travelers it is consid- 
ered one of the most attractive sections of this great in- 
land waterway. 

The Indian River is connected with the ocean by two 
inlets, which are known respectively as Jupiter Inlet and 
the Indian River Inlet, also called Lucie Inlet. By means 
of the canal above mentioned, however, it really has a 
third connection with the ocean through Mosquito Inlet. 
Were it not for these inlets, the saltiness of the waters 
of the Indian River would partly disappear, because of 
the inflow of fresh waters, but these passages keep the 
water almost as salty as the ocean itself. There is very 
little tide in the river, and it does not rise or fall at the 
tidal periods more than a few inches. The fishes that one 
finds here are all salt water fishes, and a considerable part 
of its bottom is covered with oysters. Although these 
oysters are small, they are extremely palatable. Many of 
them lay out on the shore, where they are covered with 
water only during the tides. It is very easy then to look 
after one's oyster farm. 

The Indian River is a charming stream which one 
learns to love, with its chain of linked bays and coves and 
its long stretch of sapphire waters. Its shores are clothed 
with palms and many other tropical trees, and in many 
places with a veritable tropical jungle. Morning is beau- 
tiful here, although sometimes there is a mist that ob- 
scures the light. On a clear winter morning, however, 
the sun rises out of a cloudless sky, as a rule, and falls 
upon a flat land. It is usually daylight all in a moment, 
but there are times when the sky in the east grows golden, 
to be followed by crimson. In the spring these shores 



The Indian River 253 

are a mass of flowers and blossoms of many kinds, which, 
with the varied shades of green of the vegetation, give 
it an entrancing appearance. In many places the waters 
are usually so translucent that objects twenty feet below 
the surface are as clear as if not submerged a foot under 
water. Through this etherial-like water one can plainly 
observe the curious denizens of the deep. There are fish 
of many hues to be seen here in nature's aquarium. It 
is a delight to boat over the surface of the water at such 
times. The bow of the boat breaks the mirror-like sur- 
face, and behind trails the ever-widening wake as the tiny 
waves make for the shore. The protection of the water 
makes this river one of the splendid fishing grounds of 
the Florida coast. Nearly all of the species of fish com- 
mon to these waters can be snared at certain seasons in 
large numbers, so that the Indian River is a favorite 
locality for sportsmen. 

The Indian River is a resort for ducks of many kinds 
and in almost countless numbers. Among these will be 
found mallards, bluebills, scarps and canvasbacks. Raft 
ducks abound in almost as great numbers on the surface 
as do the mullet underneath, for in places the river will 
oftentimes seem almost covered with them. Flock after 
flock fly up as a boat approaches and trail off to another 
settling place not far distant. They are secluded by the 
many bays and inlets and numerous little islands. Other 
water birds will also be seen in great numbers. 

One of the curious creatures to be found here, and 
especially near the mouth of the St. Lucie River, is the 
manatee. Neither wholly animal nor wholly fish, it par- 
takes of the character of both. It is generally known as 
the sea cow, and is a warm-blooded animal that suckles 
its young and yet lives entirely in the water. It is abso- 
lutely necessary for this animal to come to the surface 



254 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

every few minutes to breathe, and this necessity generally 
proves its undoing when a hunter is in pursuit. Some- 
times the manatee becomes a monstrous creature, and 
is almost as shapely as a fattened pig ready for exhibition 
at the county fair. It has a large ugly mouth, and its 
flappers are used both in swimming and in feeding itself. 
Just picture to yourself one of these ungainly creatures 
a dozen feet long and weighing a good long ton. It is 
found generally only in the rivers that indent the southern 
coast and the bays at their mouth. Seldom is a manatee 
seen in captivity, for it is an exceedingly difficult animal 
to keep alive. It lives on the vegetation that grows in 
the rivers and is strictly vegetarian in its habits. It is 
another of those anomalous creatures where nature seems 
to have been uncertain whether to adapt her new creations 
for life on land or under water. This same water animal 
is found in the Amazon River where its flesh is highly 
esteemed, but its habitat is very limited indeed. A large 
manatee is big enough and strong enough to make life 
interesting and furnish sufficient thrills to satisfy the most 
enthusiastic actor of the moving picture family. 

An inland waterway extends all along the coast of 
Florida, from its northern boundary to the Keys. This 
has long been a delightful cruising ground for small 
craft. In many places the water is shallow, and there- 
fore the draft of boats is limited. From November until 
May, the season of cruising for winter visitors, these 
waters are dotted with craft of many kinds. Some of 
these are attracted by the boating itself, and others are 
drawn by the sporting advantages of fishing and shoot- 
ing. As a matter of fact, one can go almost from New 
York to the southernmost part of Florida by inland or 
protected waterways. This includes inland canals across 
New Jersey to the Delaware River and then by another 



The Indian River 255 

canal to Chesapeake Bay. From the mouth of this bay 
clear to Fernandino there is almost a continuous fringe 
of islands and sand bars that provide a sheltered channel 
for craft of shallow draft. 

In recent years canals have been dug by various co- 
operative agencies, so that now it is possible for a boat 
drawing four feet of water to make this journey along 
the Florida coast, although a boat of three feet draft is 
preferable. Too much cannot be said of the interest and 
beauty of the cruise along the Florida coast, and it is 
doubtful if there is a more ideal winter yachting ground 
in America. The smiling river, with its seductive trees 
and grass-covered banks and silver shore, extends a wel- 
come to all. Each, year improvements are made in the 
channels and additional markings are placed, so that it 
becomes decreasingly necessary to employ special pilots 
in order to make the journey safely. As it is, however, 
in many places the channel markings are lacking, and the 
navigator is obliged to be exceedingly careful in selecting 
his route, and especially so if his boat's draft is near 
the utmost limit permitted. 

The Florida East Coast Construction and Canal Com- 
pany has constructed a number of the necessary canals, 
and it is obligatory to pay toll at a number of places, but 
the amount of the toll is not very large. These canals 
are most primitively constructed, and they are without 
locks. In some instances the banks are entirely sub- 
merged, and in others they are barely visible above the 
water. In places the debris has been piled up on the 
banks, where it has become overgrown with dense tropi- 
cal vegetation. A regular service of steamers will be 
found running all the way from Jacksonville to Miami, 
so that the person who is so unfortunate as not to own 
a yacht is still not dq)rived of making the trip, which 



256 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

takes about a week. It is a delightful journey, especially 
for one who is susceptible to sea sickness, to steam along 
the coast no farther than a few hundred yards from the 
broad Atlantic, on water that is as quiet and steady as the 
Mississippi itself. 

This Indian River country is famous for its fruits. 
Chief of all are the oranges, and the Indian River orange 
has acquired a reputation all its own. It is also a land 
of pineapples. The plantations of this delicious fruit 
cover the ridges next to the Indian River, clothing it in 
prickly green lances extending from the banks of the 
river to the cities behind, in some places a distance of 
several miles. The freezes generally do not affect the 
fruits so much here, for the wide lagoons of water pro- 
tect them from the sudden changes. When I saw them, 
however, the full flood of the cold had worked upon 
them. The guava has a trunk which resembles the syca- 
more, but its leaf is like that of the chestnut. Some say 
that there should be a button on this bur, according to 
our northern standards. This tree bears blossoms, how- 
ever, that are very sweet scented and resemble the orange 
blossom. The seed vessel then passes through a stage 
resembling a green ball, finally developing into a fruit 
somewhat lemon-like. On the same tree will be found all 
the stages of development from the bloom to the matured 
fruit. 

The cocoanut is also cultivated here to some extent, 
but it is a transplanted fruit, and not a native of the coun- 
try. The custard apple is a wild fruit, which is really 
delicious. At least that is what those say that have ac- 
quired a liking for it. It grows out in the Open, and is a 
fruit which closely resembles the paw-paw. The blos- 
soms are a creamy white, seeming to hang from the lower 
twigs, and send out a delightful fragrance in the soft 



The Indian River 257 

summer breeze. This fragrance has in it something of 
the orange blossom, as well as the fruit odor of the guava. 
It is an odor which suggests good things to eat, and makes 
you think of banquets of delicious fruits. The opossum 
long ago acquired a liking for the custard apple, while 
the raccoons and the foxes are not far behind in their 
admiration for this fruit. The paw-paw is a sort of 
muskmelon that grows upon the trees. The thick and 
green rind becomes yellow upon ripening, which heightens 
the muskmelon resemblance. Many people become very 
fond of the paw-paw, which is eaten in about the same 
way. It is a peculiar tree that grows up almost like a 
great weed until higher than a man's head, and the fruit 
appears in the axils of the leaves, which look almost like 
those of the milkweed. 

Nowhere in Florida will one find the butterflies more 
plentiful than along the Indian River. All day long these 
bright creatures of the sun flit in and out among the 
flowers and the trees. The species are many, and the 
individuals are innumerable. At times literally millions 
of them will pass by in a single day. They come in 
eddies and swirls, if one may use that expression. At 
times they seem like marshalled hosts. The aggregate 
number reaches a total that would be staggering. They 
will generally be seen flying against the wind, for they 
hunt their food and locate their mates by scent alone. 
When the gentle trade winds are blowing quietly, as they 
generally do during the summer, the butterflies will be 
seen beating their way down the coast. There is a little 
white butterfly that specks the road, almost like snow- 
flakes sometimes, as the diminutive creatures are buffeted 
here and there by the winds. They are as white as snow, 
except for a tiny black marking on the margin of the 
wings. There are gaudily colored butterflies, which al- 



258 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

most put to shame the rainbow in their colorings. They 
are not all yellow, for there is one with a black founda- 
tion spotted with peacock blue and touched with crimson 
on each wing. Great swallow-tails brighten the air with 
their wonderful beauty, and these seem to vanish in the 
air almost before your very eyes. Then there is the 
zebra, with his wings rippled with black and yellow bars, 
and red dots as a part of his color scheme. The student 
of butterflies will find an abundance of opportunities to 
study these beautiful creatures. 

The Indian River region is a favored one with feath- 
ered creatures. There are water and coA^r and food in 
abundance for both the land and water birds. There are 
weeks in February and March when the palmettoes are 
fairly alive with bird life. In the former months robins 
will sometimes be encountered by the thousands. At this 
time they stay together in flocks sometimes numbering 
hundreds, and one might truthfully say in thousands. 
They roost together, generally near the ground on the 
scrub palmettoes, and in the morning the air will be filled 
with their fluttering and their good-morning cries. Their 
plumage seems a little duller than it will be later on our 
northern lawns, and they have not yet tuned up their 
vocal cords for the melodies which enliven our neighbor- 
hoods. The bobolinks follow this route on their way to 
and from Central America. It offers the most land sur- 
face and the shortest sea flight, for there are islands to 
be visited on the way over. Other small birds which will 
enliven our northern woods and groves a litde later tarry 
here for a time. An occasional rookery of herons will be 
encountered, and it is generally on a small island. It is 
there, where the myrtles grow almost breast high, and 
among the ferns, that arise the palmettoes and other trees, 
on which the nests will be found. If you approach this 



The Indian River 259 

shelter there will be a crashing sound in the tree tops as 
the great wings flap against the broad leaves of the palms, 
and the birds take to flight with their characteristic harsh 
croaks. One will see myrtle warblers flitting in and out 
among the low branches, and then among the oleander 
and hibiscus and the scarlet clusters of the bignonia. The 
meadow lark is about the only one of the northern birds 
that sings freely down here. They do not appear in 
flocks, but, in twos and threes, will distribute themselves 
over the landscape. They sing from lowly stations al- 
most wholly. This may be a short dead stump out in a 
lovely savannah, or from a fence post, or the low ridge- 
pole of the farmer's hut. 

In that long and narrow lagoon along the coast of 
Florida, known as the Indian River, there is a muddy 
island of some three or four acres called Pelican Island. 
For some unknown reason this island has been the family 
home of all the pelicans of the east coast of the United 
States. The pelican naturally nests in low trees or 
bushes, on which it builds a sort of platform nest from 
small sticks and seagrass. As many as seven nests have 
been counted on a small tree. In this island the trees 
have been killed by the continual nestings, but the birds 
have preferred to build their nests in the shifting sands 
rather than desert the island for some of its wooded 
neighbors. It lies so low that a high tide often wreaks 
disaster. 

Year after year these birds return to Pelican Island. 
This regular return to the same little island, which is no 
different and no more attractive than dozens of other 
islands along the same coast, is one of the curious things 
in bird life. It may be that they come here for sociabil- 
ity, just as humans congregate in cities. It may be that 
some instinct tells them this is a safe place to rear their 



260 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

families. At any rate, they are not easily frightened and 
will permit a cautious visitor to approach quite close to 
the nests. 

Only on two occasions have the pelicans been known to 
be absent from Pelican Island. One season so many 
pelicans were slain by hunters, who desired the wing- 
quills, that the others were frightened away by the dead 
bodies. The United States Government then took charge 
of the island and made it a reserve. A big sign was 
erected conveying this information. The following sea- 
son the birds did not come; they seemed either to be 
frightened by this sign, or had some aversion to the words 
on it. The sign was then removed and the birds imme- 
diately returned. But the protection still remains, and a 
government warden is stationed there to see that the birds 
are not disturbed during the nesting season. The only 
danger to the birds is from the seas, which sometimes 
overflows a part of the island and drowns their young 
birds. They might take a lesson from the Biblical story 
of the man who built his house on the sands. 

No one ever saw a pelican off his guard or without his 
dignity. Flocks of ten or a dozen will be seen alternately 
flapping and sailing. Their wings beat time with those 
of the leader, as though the drill had been carefully prac- 
ticed. When they settle on the water, it is always in 
orderly rows. At times they seem to group themselves 
together as if in conference, and one can almost imagine 
them as nodding their bald heads in approval of the sub- 
ject of deliberation. Every movement of the pelican 
is so stately that even the courtship of the pelicans must 
be a very solemn affair; and yet a study of the life on the 
island reveals no domestic trouble. Scarcely a sound will 
be heard, except for the chatter of the young birds, for 
the pelicans are anything but noisy. 



The Indian River 261 

The ordinary breeding season for pelicans is in the 
spring, but here it is in the winter. Regularly in Novem- 
ber the birds begin to appear on Pelican Island and pre- 
pare their nests. They gather near by and then swoop 
down upon it, literally taking possession. The first ones 
arriving monopolize the few trees, and the later ones then 
build in the sand. When all have arrived, there are about 
two thousand of these nests. In places they are so close 
that one great grass nest almost touches another. The 
first egg is regularly laid on December first. No more 
than three eggs are ever deposited, pure white in color and 
a little smaller than a goose egg. If the eggs are lost or 
destroyed, three more will be laid. When the female is 
hungry, the male takes her place while she departs to seek 
food. It is difficult to distinguish one from the other. 

At the end of four weeks the young birds begin to ap- 
pear, and it would take a long search to discover an uglier 
little bird than the baby pelican. It has a black skin, with 
neither feathers nor down. It will quickly die of cold, if 
left alone for a short time. For ten weeks the parents 
have a busy time feeding their family, for the young birds 
are just as voracious as their elders. The two birds seem 
to share equally the duty of sitting on the nest and search- 
ing for food for the babies. After the birds have grown 
large enough to walk around, it must be difficult for the 
parents to distinguish their own young and see that the 
luncheon they have brought finds its way down the right 
neck, for the young birds would not object to palatable 
food even if brought by some other birds than their 
parents. It requires several trips every day to the fish- 
ing grounds. The parents swallow the fish, and then 
disgorge them into the baggy pouch in the bill, from 
which the little pelicans help themselves. In March all 
the pelicans desert Pelican Island, and it is practically un- 



262 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

inhabited for the next seven months. The keeper then 
has his vacation. 

Along the coast here, as well as all over Florida, the 
pine^ are always present, and yet the forest seems ever 
retreating. They stand so far apart that all about you 
is open space while beyond, dwindling into the distance, 
the trees draw together and group themselves into a forest 
which you never reach — it is always just beyond. It 
slips away in front and closes in behind as you pass. 
That frame house in which you live, and the other one 
in which I have my habitation, have taken their toll from 
the great pine forests of the South. Other public build- 
ings, stores, bridges, etc., have demanded other portions. 
Turpentining has exacted its full share of the work of 
destruction, and fearful conflagrations have completed 
the work of demolition. As the turpentine is extremely 
inflammable, the breaking out of a fire is indeed a serious 
matter. Thousands of acres are frequently burned over 
and fearful losses entailed before the spread of the flame 
is checked. At least one-fifth of the entire producing 
territory is said to have burned over more or less — a 
terrible toll for the fire fiend. 

Southwestern Virginia, as well as the eastern part of 
North and South Carolina, used to yield vast quantities 
of turpentine, rosin and pine tar. The amount secured 
there is now negligible, and it is practically out of the 
producing belt. The center of production shifted for a 
time to Georgia, and now it is in Florida. Mississippi 
and Louisiana are now developing the industry, and prac- 
tically the only unworked territory now left in the South 
is the great long-leaf pine section of East Texas. As the 
consumption of rosin and turpentine increases, the 
sources of its supply seem to dwindle. Some set the day 
for the disappearance of turpentine at five or ten years, 



The Indian River 263 

but this same prediction was made a dozen years ago, and 
has proved false. The amber tears of rosin still pour 
forth from fresh wounds. 

Young trees grow where the old ones have been taken 
out, and it does not take more than fifteen years for a 
tree to reach a size large enough to be profitable. A few 
years ago a stimulus was given by a process to extract 
the turpentine from the old pine stumps, but the stump 
land is limited, and the future of the industry does not 
appear very rosy. It almost looks as though fifteen or 
twenty years hence the problem of securing an adequate 
supply of these products will begin to be serious. It 
may be that science will step in and solve this problem 
by a discovery of substitutes. If not, it would seem as 
though the forward march .of the world's progress would 
be retarded. For that reason conservation must take the 
place of destruction, and methods devised which will pro- 
long the life of the tapped tree. 

One of the most pleasing remembrances of Florida is 
the resinous aroma of the pines which clothe the peninsula 
from the Keys to its northern boundaries. It greets one 
in the earliest morn, and lingers after the sun has sunk 
into the western seas. Crude rosin and turpentine are 
obtained by tapping, living trees in a somewhat similar 
way to the tapping of maple trees for sap and rubber trees 
for the caoutchouc, from which commercial rubber is 
made. The very life essential is withdrawn for man's 
use. In the case of the maple and rubber trees, however, 
care is taken not to withdraw enough to threaten the life 
of the trees. The method* of tapping the pine tree is far 
more destructive. You may have noticed in certain kinds 
of pine board how full the grain is of rosin, of which 
there is a pungent odor. In the live tree this is liquid and 
flows slowly like a curdy white cream. A wound must 



264 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

first be made in the tree, however, to collect the crude 
rosin. But this wound is generally so large that it even- 
tually saps the life itself of the tree. A deep pocket is 
incised at the base of the tree, which holds a pan into 
which the sap flows. It will hold about three pints. At 
first the slash, as it is called, might be ten or twelve inches 
long. The second season it will be almost three feet 
long, and eventually the bark will be cut off the tree for a 
space of five or six feet high. Each week during the 
flowing season fresh slashes are made in order to stimu- 
late an increased flow of the rosin. Otherwise the rosin 
hardens over the grains of the wood and seriously inter- 
feres with its flow. 

The flowing period extends from March to September, 
after which it no longer runs readily. Each year a fresh 
slab from an inch to two inches thick is cut of¥, and from 
eight to twelve inches wide. This same process may be 
followed on two or three sides of the tree. In this way 
large trees are frequently stripped of their outer layer of 
living, or " sap," wood. From a third to two-thirds of 
the thickness of the base is sometimes cut away by the 
process. In such a case the tree becomes so weakened 
that it is frequently blown down- during severe wind 
storms. 

Teams of long-eared mules in charge of negroes are 
driven around, and the pitch is poured into barrels. 
These are hauled to the still, and barrel after barrel is 
poured into the great copper kettle. It requires the pitch 
from thousands of trees to make one run. The fire is 
lit, and as soon as the pitch is well warmed, the chips that 
have been gathered up rise to the surface and are dipped 
out. As the heat increases, the very spirit of the pine 
tree begins to bubble forth and is carried to a condenser, 
while the floating turpentine is siphoned off from the 



The Indian River 265 

waste with which it has been mingled in the refining 
process. The dark and rather viscid fluid that remains 
in the kettles hardens into a brittle mass, which is known 
everywhere as rosin. 

Turpentining the trees is a process that decreases the 
value of the timber. Hence the owner of a forest must 
frequently decide whether he prefers the profits arising 
from that product, or would choose the trouble of gather- 
ing the turpentine and the rosin. Four or five years is 
about the life of a tree that has been vigorously subjected 
to the turpentining process. Some do not push the proc- 
ess to the limit and thus save their trees, for they will 
again thrive when the draw on their vitality is stopped. 
The sun leaves behind a seal of hardened pitch, which 
covers the wound and permits the sap still to run and 
nourish the tree. It used to be that only the fully ma- 
tured trees were tapped, but now trees only four or five 
inches in diameter are subjected to the process, with the 
inevitable result that there will be no future forest on that 
tract, as the young and growing trees will decay together 
with those fully matured. The sap of the tree does not 
flow in cold weather, even in Florida, but the flow is at 
its best in early summer or late spring. 

A simpler and more scientific process of turpentining 
trees has been devised within the past few years, which 
yields almost as much of the rosin without injuring the 
tree nearly so much. It is known as the " cup " and 
" gutter " system. The secret of it is a shallower chip- 
ping, and the attachment of a cup instead of gouging out 
of a deep receptacle for the flowing rosin. These cups 
look almost like flower pots. A special tool has been de- 
vised by which the chipping can be made as small as is 
possible to secure a flow of the rosin. Instead of begin- 
ning with a gash more than a foot long, it is less than an 



266 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

inch in height, and this is increased a Httle each week the 
same as by the old way. This method is said to yield an 
even greater flow, and there is much less evaporation. 
The evaporation by the old method, when the slow-mov- 
ing rosin is compelled to flow several feet exposed to the 
air, is very great. The lighter turpentine would some- 
times almost disappear. For the same reason the rosin 
is gathered every two weeks instead of every four weeks 
after the old method. Furthermore, there is no danger 
of the tree being blown down during a wind storm. 
There is also less danger from fire, for the fire cannot get 
down into the heart of the tree and destroy it. The 
deeply-boxed trees will hold the fire until it has eaten out 
this heart, and the stately old pine falls, a blackened ruin. 
It has been only within the past few years that the idea 
of conserving these pine forests and providing for the 
" naval stores " of the future has met with any real re- 
sponse from the owners, of the pines. 

Commercially these products of the pine forests, which 
we call turpentine, rosin and pine tar, are known as 
" naval stores." This is because pine tar, or " pitch," 
was once the principal agent used in rendering the old 
wooden vessels water-tight. In these days of steel ves- 
sels this process is not used, but the old term still applies. 
It was originally obtained by charring or burning the 
wood of the pitch pines in rudely constructed pits, or 
kilns, by which, process the volatile turpentine was re- 
leased and the rosin remained. A crude sweating process 
was next employed, but now, since turpentine is equally 
valuable, every effort is made to preserve it. A distilling 
process is now employed by which the turpentine is driven 
off in steam into a copper still, and then afterwards con- 
densed. The residue is pure rosin, which is relieved of 
all possible impurities by straining. The pine tar is now 



The Indian River 267 



a very unimportant feature of the industry, as there is 
very little demand for it. 

The workers in the pine forests are a picturesque lot, 
and are usually as black as the product of their work. 
One will often hear them singing or crooning some song 
that seems to have neither beginning nor end, but appears 
to fit in with the music of the swaying tops. A couple of 
decades ago much injustice was shown toward them. 
Ignorant as they were, and employed in the dense forests 
remote from towns and civil authorities, the poor negroes 
were subjected to many indignities. They were prac- 
tically at the mercy of the overseer. Today, however, 
this condition has practically passed away, and one will 
find these tar-colored workmen in the turpentine camps as 
happy a body of workers as will be encountered anywhere. 



CHAPTER XV 

ALONG THE WEST COAST 

The west coast of Florida has not yet developed into 
such a marvellous playground as the east coast, and yet 
its beauties and advantages are multitudinous. From 
Homossassa, on the north, to Naples, on the south, there 
are delightful spots, charming towns and splendid hotels. 
The waters are fairly alive with fish, the forests are 
filled with game and the advantages offered to the sports- 
man are irresistible. The trees and swamps are bright- 
ened with a multitude of birds, and the charms for the 
student of nature are manifold. There are rivers to 
ascend and bays to explore, and the fact that someone else 
has preceded you need not detract from your own enjoy- 
ment in the slightest degree. Sportsmen, naturalists, 
scientists, authors and teachers, all of national and many 
of international reputation, have subjoined their measure 
of praise, each from his own particular standpoint. 

All the way from Pensacola Bay there are delightful 
bays, harbors and mouths of bays, each with its own 
peculiar charm, but most of them are inaccessible except 
by water. For that reason they are seldom visited by 
visitors to Florida. 

Cedar Keys is an old town and has a good harbor. It 
is not far distant from the mouth of the storied Suwanee 
River. The town is situated on an island, one of the 
many small keys stretched along this coast. The chief 
industries are fishing, turtling and sponging. The 

268 



Along the West Coast 269 

sponge beds here are of excellent quality, and the primi- 
tive sponging outfit of the former days has been sup- 
planted by modern equipments that are manned by the 
Greeks. Another industry here is the making of the red 
cedar used in the manufacture of lead pencils. It is quite 
likely that the cedar casing for the lead in your pencil 
came from this Florida seaport. 

The mouth of the Homossassa River has long been a 
favorite spot with the lover of rod and gun, and one in 
search of outdoor pleasures. The town of the same name 
is situated about ten miles up from the Gulf. In the 
winter countless thousands of ducks dot the surface of the 
water on all sides, and the salt-water mullet, which are 
larger than those in fresh water, will be glimpsed far up 
above the water in their playful evolutions and also in 
their attempts to escape some pursuing enemy. The river 
itself is rather sluggish, because the fall is inconsiderable. 
The shores for miles are covered with a dense growth of 
cabbage palms and hummocks on which grow the hard 
woods. In places the river winds its way through islands 
whose shores are studded with oyster beds. Great black 
rocks and oyster bars in places imperil navigation. Be- 
fore the war there was quite a prosperous plantation life 
around Homossassa. One of the noted men of this 
neighborhood was Senator Yulee, whose real name had 
been Levy, and this county was named Levy in his honor. 
The town is attractive and entertains many transient 
visitors. 

At the head of the Homossassa River is the Homos- 
sassa Spring, out of which the river has its beginning. 
It is a circular pond about a hundred feet in diameter and 
probably sixty feet deep. Down through its translucent 
depths the tiniest of fish are plainly visible, as well as 
diminutive aquatic plants. The rainbow hues of all the 



270 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

submerged objects render them a very curious and beauti- 
ful sight. Many beheve that this is the marvellous spring 
for which Ponce de Leon sought long and in vain. One 
does not need to go far from here to discover the repulsive 
alligator, and a rifle will furnish an abundant supply of 
game, if in the hands of some nimrod with sufficient skill. 

A little farther down the Gulf coast lies the picturesque 
port of Tarpon Springs, another center for hunting and 
fishing. The town is located a mile and a half from the 
Gulf, and receives its name from a mountain spring, or 
springs, which bubble up from an apparently bottomless 
pit. In sounding, a depth of more than two hundred feet 
has been reached, but an obstruction has made it im- 
possible to estimate the actual depth. The surface of 
the water ebbs and flows with the fall and rise of the tide. 
Tarpon Springs and Sponge Harbor, nearby, have long 
been one of the important centers of the sponge industry 
in Florida. It is now almost entirely in the hands of the 
aggressive Greek divers and merchants. These spongers 
of the near-Orient used to be at Key West, also, but they 
were driven out from there by the Americans who re- 
sented their methods, which were looked upon as lawless 
and destructive. The Greek spongers operate by diving 
and take the entire sponge from the rock so that nothing 
remains to propagate a new growth, which is entirely con- 
trary to the plan pursued by the Americans. 

Around and about Tampa Bay there has been much 
recent development, and a number of thriving towns have 
sprung up. Some of these are industrial towns, while 
others are prepared solely for the pleasure of the tourist. 
It bids fair to become the most populous section on the 
west coast, for so many different agencies are contribut- 
ing to its growth. It is a section famous for the produc- 
tion of vegetables which are marketed at a period of the 



. Along the West Coast 271 

year when most of the country is in the grip of winter. 
Tampa is situated at the head of Tampa Bay and about 
twenty-five miles from the Gulf. It has developed into 
the second city of the state, and is now growing at a rapid 
pace. The first settlement here was founded by a lieu- 
tenant of the wanderer, De Soto, whose expedition had 
landed near here. Prior to that time it had been a 
Seminole camp, and the name Tampa in their language 
means " split wood for quick fires." When Coacoochee 
left here with his painted and plumed red followers, a fort 
was established by General Worth. The officers' quar- 
ters of old Fort Brooke are still standing. Even up to the 
time of the Civil War Tampa had not developed much; 
but was still little more than a village. Its great growth 
dates from about the time of the Spanish-American War, 
when Tampa was made the port of departure for the 
troops destined for service in Cuba, whence Uncle Sam's 
boys sailed forth to plant the Stars and Stripes on a 
foreign shore. Almost forty thousand men were en- 
camped here during that war and the fame of the city 
was sung by them on their return to their homes. The 
removal of many cigar factories here from Havana also 
brought prosperity. During the succeeding decade its 
growth was marvelous, and it more than doubled in popu- 
lation. Tampa has been made a deep water port. It is 
by dredging the Hillsboro River that a channel has been 
completed permitting a draft of twenty-four feet for ves- 
sels. The docking space is owned by the city, which is 
most commendable foresight, and the city also owns a 
large hotel which is surrounded by a magnificent park. 
This is the Tampa Bay Hotel, which was built by Henry 
Plant, also a great railroad builder, as a rival for the 
luxurious Flagler hotels of the east coast. Costing mil- 
lions, this palatial hostelry was sold to the city for a paltry 



272 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

sum. The architecture is Moorish, with minarets and 
towers that might belong to Northern Africa. They give 
a pecuHar oriental setting when viewed from the proper 
angle. In the surrounding park there are some magnifi- 
cent old trees. 

There is an air of business and prosperity about Tampa 
that is most pleasing. The fact that it is a commercial 
center is quickly impressed upon the visitor. There are 
a number of factories and more are constantly coming. 
A drive out through the residence section is interesting 
and one finds that Tampa is becoming a city of bungalows 
like the California cities. Fort Dade and Fort De Soto 
are both of interest to the traveler who " has a hankerin' " 
to inspect fortresses. A trip that is very much taken is 
up the Hillsboro River to Sulphur Springs — another of 
the large boiling springs of Florida. The strongly im- 
pregnated sulphurous water pours out at the rate of fifty 
thousand gallons each and every minute, so it has been 
estimated. 

The visitor to Florida, who is unacquainted with the 
conditions, will be surprised to see so many foreign-look- 
ing residents at Tampa, and to hear them speaking a 
strange language. These are Cubans, and if he should 
go out to the suburb known as Ybor City, he would dis- 
cover a little Havana right here in the metropolis of 
Southern Florida. There are some twenty thousand 
Spanish-speaking inhabitants of Tampa, and nearly all of 
them are employed in the making of cigars, of which the 
average production is practically one million for each 
working day in the year. The custom of living in public 
by means of open doors and windows, with cafes opening 
to the street, is followed here just the same as it would be 
in a Cuban town. The women and men will be seen 
standing on the street or on the little porches, talking ex- 




THE CITY HALL, TAMPA. 



Along the West Coast 273 

citedly with each other, and using their hands and shoul- 
ders almost as much as their tongues. Several large 
clubs, which have amusements and sociological adjuncts, 
are maintained by these immigrants from Cuba. 

A visit to one of the many cigar factories in Tampa is 
an interesting experience to one who is not familiar with 
the life and customs of these people. It also reveals how 
carefully and under what splendid sanitary conditions 
the cigars are now manufactured here. Each cigar is 
inspected time and again, and is almost perfect in shape 
and color before it is finally sealed in a box with the gov- 
ernment revenue stamp placed thereon. The most inter- 
esting feature to the American is the employment of a 
reader by the cigar makers. In a conspicuous place, in 
the center of a large room, sits a man who reads for the 
benefit of the workmen and the workwomen, for at least 
half the day. The workmen listen to him as the cigar 
grows into shape under their busy fingers. He is paid 
by their contributions and not by the management. This 
seems a waste of money, and yet to the Cuban it is an 
economy. He knows that he cannot sit in a room filled 
with other workmen without talking, and he is also aware 
of the fact that he cannot freely talk without using his 
hands and elbows. His hands are very necessary in the 
making of cigars, which are wholly handmade, and in 
which machinery has no part. It is to his own advantage 
to save this time and devote it to the raising of his pay- 
check, for employment is on the piece-work system. A 
reader will be found in all the larger cigar factories, and 
the employers are well pleased because, in this way, the 
output of cigars is largely increased. 

The port from which the various ocean steamers sail 
is called Port Tampa, and is about eight miles down the 
peninsula from the city proper. The wharf was built in 



274 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

1889 and is about four-fifths of a mile in length. Dur- 
ing the Spanish-American War many steamships were 
berthed here at one time. The wharf runs out into Old 
Tampa Bay to reach deep water, and at its end is a unique 
hotel where one may fish from the veranda of the 
hostelry. It is not difficult here to imagine oneself on 
shipboard. 

Across Tampa Bay, and down near the end of the 
Pinellas Peninsula, is the new town of St. Petersburg. 
The growth of this town has been wonderful. A quarter 
of a century ago it was a mere hamlet of three or four 
hundred people, but now it has a permanent population of 
several thousand and a winter population of many more 
thousands. There is no other town on the west coast 
that is so completely given up to the entertainment of win- 
ter visitors. St. Petersburg is a place in which the 
" homey " feeling abounds, where everybody seems glad 
to meet everybody else. The main street is lined on both 
sides with a multitude of benches, and in the middle of 
the day they will generally be found comfortably filled. 
Uncle John and Aunt Mary from Oshkosh greet Brother 
Jim and Sister Susie from Kansas with genuine heartiness 
— and, by the way, there are many persons here each year 
from the Sunflower State. Unlike some of the east coast 
resorts, St. Petersburg has not catered to fashion and 
frivolity, but it attracts those who seek quiet and rest, 
It is laid out on a magnificent scale, and the country for 
miles around has already been platted into town lots. 

St. Petersburg has annexed a strip of land over a mile 
wide that stretches clear across the peninsula, a distance 
of five miles, to Boca Ceiga Bay. A splendid boulevard 
has been laid out and Central Avenue promises to develop 
into a real show street when the contemplated improve- 
ments of parking and planting trees have been com- 



Along the West Coast 275 

pleted. This enterprise illustrates the ambitious scope of 
the plans of those who are the head of St. Petersburg's 
affairs. In the park, in the central part of the city, are 
found a dozen or more quoit grounds, and they are well 
patronized at all times. Hour after hour the winter 
visitors will be seen here pitching quoits and, sometimes, 
the still older fashioned horseshoes, such as one used to 
see on the village green. A few play croquet, on the 
splendid court, while the public checker-boards are also 
well patronized. The inhabitants call St. Petersburg the 
" Sunshine City." A newspaper has gained a great deal 
of notoriety for it by offering free its entire edition on 
every day that the sun fails to shine. It occurred once 
during my own stay, and the newsboys were busy passing 
out papers to anyone who would accept one. A sunless 
day is said not to average more than about half a dozen 
times in a year. Even on this particular day the sun 
broke out brilliantly toward evening, but after the paper 
was off of the press. 

It was down in St. Petersburg that I really became ac- 
quainted with the pelican and his amiable qualities, until 
I almost felt as if I had acquired a speaking acquaintance 
with this solemn and dignified bird. I have developed 
a great respect for him, and this respect increases each 
time that I see him. Even in the enclosure of a zoo, his 
dignity does not desert him. Likewise, when flying, the 
pelican's movements look studied. Whether there are 
two or an even dozen together, they always fly in Indian 
file. Something terrible would happen if two traveled 
abreast. They advance a short distance with slow and 
stately flappings, then, as if by a preconcerted signal, all 
spread their wings and sail for a distance, when the wing 
strokes are again resumed. 

The study of the pelican would be sure to present some 



276 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

new suggestions in solemnity for church ceremonials. 
No celebration in a cathedral is more solemn than the 
ordinary movements of a pelican. His solemnity is so 
great that it seems almost ridiculous at times, and yet he 
is so good-natured and overlooks petty annoyances so 
nobly that one cannot help but admire this bird. I have 
seen thousands of them around the Gulf of Mexico and 
along the west coast of South America, but never before 
had I been introduced into such intimate association with 
them as down in our southernmost state. Never before 
had I been where the pelican seemed to be so friendly and 
so sociable; and yet, with all this unbending, he had lost 
none of his natural dignity of demeanor. Along the 
docks these birds will be observed perched upon piles 
either waiting upon digestion or watching for a choice 
mouthful of small fishes to present themselves to view. 
There were brown and white pelicans. 

The pelican has very little tail and his huge bill, a 
dozen inches or so in length, seems to overweight him for- 
ward. By all the laws of gravitation he ought to tumble 
headlong into the beckoning waves. With his six or 
seven foot spread of wings, and a not very heavy body, 
however, he is absolute master of the art of flying. 
Neither does he deign to waste any time in frivolous gyra- 
tions, but makes a business of the work of flying as he 
does of eating. 

It is most interesting to watch a pelican dive for a fish. 
Rising up above the water some twenty or twenty-five 
feet, he dives down into it with a sounding splash and 
with mouth wide open. Upon emerging, a great pouch 
will be seen stretched out until it is almost as large as a 
small balloon, such as one sees on circus days. It will 
actually hold two gallons of water when fully inflated. 
When a pelican makes a dash for the water, the little 



Along the West Coast 277 

noisy gull watches his opportunity and lights near him, 
sometimes even alighting on the pelican's back or neck. 
If the tail or head of a fish is visible, he grabs it and waits 
for the movement which he knows is sure to follow. The 
act of swallowing necessitates the opening of the pelican's 
mouth, which enables the gull to secure his prize. The 
larger bird absolutely ignores the robber, paying no more 
attention to him than if he were a thousand miles away. 
I have never yet seen a pelican show any signs of resent- 
ment or anger or impatience. Humans might take a les- 
son from this trait. Occasionally the pelican will grab 
a fish that is on a hook, which must be rather painful for 
him. The fishermen do their best to avoid injuring the 
pelican, but these accidents will sometimes happen. The 
pelican looks almost like a feathered caricature of the 
human. His dignified solemnity suggests a fruitful ex- 
perience with life. H you have never observed this char- 
acteristic, then take advantage of the first opportunity 
that presents itself. 

The center of fashion for the Pinellas Peninsula is at 
the Belleview Hotel, at Belleair, about twenty miles 
above St. Petersburg. It occupies a beautiful site, and 
affords one of the most pleasing vistas in Florida. The 
specialty here is golf, and the hotel caters especially to the 
most skilled enthusiasts. The principal topic of conver- 
sation is of drivers and putters and the other irons, and 
the different methods of playing. Its course has received 
praise from the most skilled devotees of the game, and 
many championships have been played off here. It is the 
golf course par excellence of Florida. I really think that 
the Crackers and negroes wonder why northern folk 
spend so much time and energy at this game. As one 
" cullud " man said : " Good gracious alive ! See whar 
that tall man sen' that li'l ball. Well, I do declar; now 



278 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

he gwine see if he c'n find it. Yes, suh, when they done 
knock the ball once they foller it an' knocks it some mo'. 
I look at that thar game as much as one hundred time, an' 
I never make out whar de fun com' in." 

All around Tampa Bay, Boca Ceiga Bay and the many 
keys on this coast are splendid fishing grounds. The lover 
of rod and reel will find congenial company and sufficient 
occupation. The great " silver king," as the tarpon is 
called, comes into these waters late in the spring and until 
the end of summer is caught around the keys. King- 
fish, mackerel, weakfish, amberjacks, robalo, black sea 
bass, channel bass, redfilsh, and a host of others of the 
finny tribes are caught here. 

The broad and imposing Manatee River pours its 
waters into Tampa Bay. Near its mouth the river is 
several miles in width, forming what might be termed a 
bay, but its banks gradually contract until at Bradentown 
and Palmetto they are about a mile apart. All of this is 
in Manatee County, where considerable development is 
now going on. Some of the settlements are old, and yet 
most of the progress has been quite recent. There are 
groves of orange trees, still producing, which were 
planted half a century ago and more. Citrus fruits thrive 
as this county is below the usual frost line. Cane will 
also be found growing from the plantings made almost 
as many years ago. This county has been a paradise for 
sportsmen in times past and good sport is still to be had. 
In the eastern part of the county there are great tracts 
of splendid pine trees and massive cypresses. 

In going up the river, Palmetto is the first town of any 
size, and is situated in the midst of beautiful hammock 
groves. Bradentown is almost opposite, ©n a slight bluff 
overlooking the river. Many of the yards run down to 
the river, with private piers for pleasure vessels. From 



dn Orange Grove. 



Along the West Coast 279 

the town unbroken pine forests stretch away to the waters 
of the Gulf. It owes its name to a family named Braden, 
who lived here, and it is now the county seat of the 
county. 

Palmetto is a growing town on the north bank of the 
Manatee. A score of years ago there was scarcely a 
mile of railroad track in this country and the river was 
the only outlet, but this has now been remedied. An 
historical incident of interest is the fact that Judah P. 
Benjamin, Secretary of State for the Confederacy, was 
hidden here for two months at the Davis Plantation, after 
Jefferson Davis had fled from Richmond. Benjamin 
passed under the name of Charles Howard. After sev- 
eral hairbreadth escapes he safely reached London, in 
which city he became a very prominent barrister and 
made his residence until death. 

A mile farther up the river is Manatee, where the river 
forks. It is older than either of its two rival towns. 
The three towns are so close together that they are 
practically one. Manatee is on the same bank as 
Bradentown. All around these three towns there is 
arising a great development in citrus fruits and also 
in the cultivation of vegetables for early markets. Cel- 
ery, lettuce, cauliflower and cabbage, grown out of 
doors, can be marketed here in December, while beets, 
onions and peas, planted in October, are ready for mar- 
ket in February and March. Beans, cucumbers and 
potatoes that have been planted in January are ready 
for shipment in April. Eggplant grows to great size, 
but is late in maturing. Several crops can be grown in a 
single season from the same land. Artesian wells are 
obtained almost anywhere at slight expense, and the water 
provides irrigation when needed. 

The coast all along here is protected by a series of keys. 



280 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

These narrow islands form a series of inland waterways 
which are connected with the Gulf by little passes. Terra 
Ceia is an island of about a thousand acres, located 
about eight miles below Palmetto. The name means 
" Heavenly Land," and those who live there unblushingly 
say that it is well named. It is only a few feet above 
high tide, but the soil is carefully cultivated and a number 
of farmers dwell on it. 

Sarasota is a' considerable town, on what is known as 
Sarasota Bay, and is less than a dozen miles directly south 
of Bradentown. Starting exclusively as a resort for 
fishermen, it has developed into a thriving little city. 

The bay is about fifteen miles long and three wide, and 
is almost land-locked by the series of keys that shelter 
it. Most of the keys are crescent in shape and are cov- 
ered with hard and white sand upon which grow the 
palms and palmettoes. In the long stretches of scrub 
palmetto and woods it is still easy to find quail, rabbits 
and doves, and even the bear, deer and wild turkey. The 
legends of big catches of fish and great bags of game of 
a couple of decades ago are almost unbelievable. The 
scream of the wildcat is common and alligators inhabit 
the streams. The bay is capacious and is well protected 
by the sheltering keys, and the waters are filled with fish 
of many kinds. 

One of the common birds here is the cormorant. A 
fierce fisherman he may be, but he is generally seen at 
rest. There is hardly a river buoy or a post that has not 
its cormorant, which sometimes looks more like a black 
carving on a totem pole than aught else. Usually he is 
absolutely motionless, and sometimes will permit a near 
approach without flying away. He may stretch his slim 
neck as the boat goes by, or move about a little uneasily, 
but he maintains a statuesque pose. One would think 



Along the West Coast 281 

that he lacked energy more than anything else. He prob- 
ably selects his point of observation to aid in his fishing, 
but it is seldom that one will see him dive for a victim. 
If he does lift his ungainly black body and plunge for a 
fish, he is met by a curious grunt from his mate or com- 
panions. 

About eighteen miles from the mouth of the Caloosa- 
hatchee River lies the town of Fort Myers. It is the 
largest town on this coast, south of St. Petersburg. It 
comes by the name of Fort legitimately, for Fort Myers 
was the scene of stirring events during the Florida War. 
It was here that the brave chief, Billy Bowlegs, finally 
yielded his submission, which ended the hostilities of this 
virile tribe. During the long struggle General Winfield 
Scott Hancock was stationed here and planted a date 
palm, which has the distinction of being one of the largest 
date palms in these United States. It was set out near 
the house which had been his home. Only one of the 
original buildings of the fort is yet standing. Fort 
Myers is readily accessible by water from Tampa, and 
also by the branch of the Atlantic Coast Line which leaves 
the main line at Lakeland. 

After leaving Lakeland the traveler soon reaches Bar- 
tow, one of the older municipalities of the state. It is 
an attractive town, with many of the characteristics of a 
small northern city. One of the educational institutions 
of the state, the South Florida Military Educational In- 
stitute, is located here. Eleven miles farther is Fort 
Meade, which brings back memories of the Seminoles 
and their heroic defence, for this was one of the frontier 
camping grounds. Arcadia is a favorite place with many 
tourists. The sportsman locates game and the invalid 
finds blue skies and warm temperature awaiting them 
here. Punta Gorda, at the mouth of the Peace River, 



282 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

and overlooking Charlotte Harbor, is also a favorite 
stopping-place for the sportsman. The river and bay- 
are at all times filled with freight and pleasure 
boats. 

Fort Myers is a truly delightful town of the subtropical 
district. That it is more tropical than districts farther 
north is shown by the vigor and size of the palms. It 
lies four hundred miles south of the southern limits of 
California, and yet is only a day and a half's journey 
from our metropolis. It is the farthest south of the Gulf 
coast cities of the United States. More than half a hun- 
dred varieties of palms have been identified here at Fort 
Myers. Some of the lawns are rare tropical gardens and 
are fragrant with the perfume of many flowers. The 
red and the pink hibiscus grow here to mammoth size and 
fill the yards with beautiful blossoms, while the bougan- 
villea climbs up in a very riot, adding its purple hues as 
a relief to the dark green of the trees. The garden alla- 
manda and a multitude of other flowers furnish their 
quota of charm. The royal palm attains a goodly height 
here, and many of them will be seen growing. The poin- 
ciana, with its small leaves, ornaments many streets. Of 
the fruit trees tamarinds, sapadilloes, avocadoes, man- 
goes, guavas, figs and the sea grape are abundant. Cam- 
phor and green bay trees are fairly common, while citrus 
trees of all kinds especially thrive, as this section seems 
to be practically outside the frost limit. 

Great development is now taking place in the fruit cul- 
ture around Fort Myers. There is plenty of room for 
expansion, with so much unimproved land on every side. 
Hundreds of artesian wells have been dug and many 
remarkable water flows will be seen. It is generally be- 
lieved that all of the county, of which Fort Myers is the 
county seat, is underlaid with a subterranean reservoir 



Along the West Coast 283 

which will provide flowing wells at a depth of four or 
five hundred feet. 

Fort Myers is not yet a large city, but it undoubtedly 
has a much greater future. It is situated where the in- 
coming tides from the Gulf meet the outgoing waters of 
the palm-fringed Caloosahatchee, and the river has been 
expanded into a veritable bay two miles wide. A well- 
built sea wall adds to the attractiveness of the water front, 
while the several piers lined with boats are evidence of 
the marine business. It is one of the great centers of the 
fishing sport of Florida, and is a great outfitting place for 
piscatorial excursions. Fishermen and sportsmen from 
all over the world come here for their favorite recreation. 
It is the county seat of Lee County, the largest subdivi- 
sion of the state. Over its four thousand square miles 
are scattered a population of about two and a half persons 
to the square mile. Traveling in any direction one will 
find thousands of acres of unimproved land. There are 
rich hammocks and fertile plains, as well as much wooded 
land. The vegetation is truly marvellous. Of the 
carnivorous plants, there are the pitcher plant and the 
mimosa. Along the shores will grow the vivaparous 
mangroves, with oysters clinging to the roots by the thou- 
sands. The vegetation ranges from the lofty trees which 
are coveted with long vines and lianas to the cacti that 
thrive in some of the more arid sections. The water is 
covered in places with the wonderful hyacinth, which 
seriously interferes with navigation, but looks most beau- 
tiful when in bloom and covered with blue flowers. On 
every hand there is a continuous succession of things that 
interest the mind and please the eye of the traveler. 

There are many excursions that can be enjoyed from 
Fort Myers. The sea coast has many indentations which 
are several miles deep. The Caloosahatchee River near 



284 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

its mouth is expansive, but it loses this character long 
before its source is reached. At Fort Myers it is a mile 
or more wide, and farther down its breadth increases still 
more. Sailing over it is a delightful experience, for its 
shores are wooded and present many seductive vistas. 
One will frequently find a boat anchored along its shores 
where the occupants are getting back to the simple life, 
which is not a difficult matter here, for, if one desires, he 
can practically live by his own exertions, as did the 
primitive man. You can catch your own fish, gather 
your own oysters in the shell, and shoot your own game at 
certain seasons. If you can cook, and live principally on 
a fish diet, then you need not journey to market very 
often. You can sometimes gather your own fruit in the 
wild, and might discover some savory vegetables, if famil- 
iar with woodcraft. Some of the houseboats are literally 
floating palaces, fitted with every convenience, while 
others with fewer luxuries are really better adapted 
for the primitive existence. Some of these are moved 
about only by tugs, and they are anchored for months 
at one place where the occupants get close to nature's 
heart. 

With an abundance of sea trout, channel bass, sheeps- 
head, Spanish mackerel and other food fishes, it is not 
a difficult matter to keep the larder well supplied. The 
shores in certain places are lined with oysters, and you 
can get the material for a stew or roast or nice fry with 
little exertion. Although small, these oysters have a 
splendid flavor. An ordinary landing-net will quickly 
furnish you with the choicest of crabs, if you crave this 
food. It is not unusual to see turtles ambling along the 
shore on a moonlight night ready for the stewing pan. 
A little search may reveal the hiding-place of ten or 
fifteen dozen of freshly-laid turtle eggs, which are very 



Along the West Coast 285 

palatable eating. A stroll back into the brush will re- 
veal to you some quail, and, if you are a good shot, 
you might possibly be rewarded with a fine bronze turkey. 
At any rate, there is only the remotest danger indeed 
that you will ever experience the pangs of hunger. For 
amusement you will find all kinds of game fishes, and 
you can chase the silvery tarpon to your heart's con- 
tent. 

There are many excursions that can be made from 
Fort Myers. One of these is to Sanibel Island, out in 
San Carlos Bay. This is a long and narrow bit of 
land, fourteen miles long by three wide, which is raised 
but slightly above the level of the sea. At one end 
is a lighthouse, and there are several hotels to cater 
to the wants of the tourists. It is a rare place indeed 
to search for sea shells, for some extremely beautiful 
specimens are washed in by each inflowing tide. Pine 
Island is another oasis in the watery waste, and there 
are several settlements upon it. Captiva Island also 
harbors a small population, but Useppa Island is a still 
more favorite resort for anglers. In extent it is about 
one hundred acres, but it is well wooded and a little 
higher than its neighboring islands. It is one of the 
great gathering places for fishermen, as it lies near to 
some of the favorite feeding-grounds of the tarpon. A 
short distance away is Big Gasparilla, on which is the 
town of Bocagrande. These islands shelter the mouth 
of the famous Charlotte Harbor, which is noted among 
seekers after game and fishes. The tarpon grounds in 
this vicinity are the best to be found anywhere, but 
the best season is after the winter visitors have de- 
parted for their northern homes. There are many other 
fishes besides the tarpon that abound in these waters, 
however, and the angler will find plenty of the finny 



286 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

tribe both to try his mettle and furnish him exciting 
sport. 

South of Fort Myers there is the httle settlement 
called Naples, which was started by some Kentuckians, 
among whom is " Marse " Henry Watterson. It is now 
a little resort of the unconventional sort, where many 
find just that rest and seclusion and opportunity for 
recreation that they desire. Below that there are only 
a few settlements, including the town of Marco, on the 
key of the same name, and some plantations on Howe's 
Island and Caxambas Island. Further south one soon 
enters the region of the Ten Thousand Islands. Here 
is an ideal cruising ground for anyone who desires to 
separate himself just as far as possible from the con- 
ventional. 

Bird Hfe around Fort Myers is wonderful. By a little 
observation and study one may identify several score 
of distinct species of feathered creatures. These will not 
only include many common land and w^ater birds, but 
also a number of rarer species. In late spring many of 
the land birds doubtless migrate farther north and the 
number would be fewer. The mocking bird has a double 
down in Florida, and this double is rather an interesting 
bird, although much different from the mocking bird. 
Many times was I deceived at first glance. At a distance 
the resemblance is striking, but nearer view shows con- 
siderable more of white upon the loggerhead shrike, 
which is generally known in the south as the " butcher 
bird." At certain seasons of the year he essays a song, 
which is not altogether unmusical, but it is a pleasant 
little shrill whistle of only a few notes. He is at all 
times either loquacious or dumb. It may be because of 
the resemblance that he attempts to imitate the mock- 
ing bird in song. If so, it is a foolish effort, and his 



Along the West Coast 287 

absurd failure might well account for periods of dis- 
couragement and consequent silence. The shrike seldom 
warbles for long at a time until it sees a grasshopper or 
some other little creature which it wishes to add to its 
collection. Never have I seen so many of these birds 
as in the neighborhood of Fort Myers. It seemed as 
though one was perched upon the wire between every 
two telephone posts along the road and never more than 
a solitary individual. There he would sit and wait 
patiently until some prospective victim attracted his at- 
tention, and then he would make a sudden dash for his 
prey. 

The name of " butcher bird " is well applied to the 
shrike, for it sometimes feeds upon young birds and 
small rodents. Never does he stop because his im- 
mediate wants have been supplied. The surplus is care- 
fully impaled upon a thorn and may be eaten afterward, 
if a fresh supply fails. Many small birds have doubt- 
less been decoyed to their death because of the re- 
semblance of the shrike to the mocking bird. Knowing 
that the mocking bird is harmless, they flit back and 
forth in the morning when they hear the mockers sing- 
ing, but they soon find themselves in the crooked beak 
of the loggerhead, to be impaled on a thorn and dissected 
at leisure by their captor. 



CHAPTER XVI 

THE EVERGLADES 

Crossing the Everglades has now become a favorite 
trip with travelers to Florida. It not only affords 
novelty, but also furnishes a short route from the lower 
west coast to two of the most famous resorts of the 
east coast. With the level of the water of Lake Okee- 
chobee raised by the dams now being constructed, the 
danger and inconvenience of sand bars will disappear, 
and the trip can be made without discomfort, for a com- 
fortable hotel awaits the tourist for the one night in- 
cluded in the trip. The eastern terminus, or starting 
point, as the case may be, can be made either Fort 
Lauderdale or West Palm Beach, but the former is the 
longer route and necessitates an extra night, for which 
a stop is made at Rita Island. The boat on the 
Caloosahatchee River is usually taken, although the trip 
by automobile can be made to La Belle or Moore Haven. 
If so, the prettiest part of the journey — the river — is 
missed. 

Leaving Fort Myers the little launch turns its prow 
up the broad and imposing Caloosahatchee. It is some 
time before the river narrows appreciably. A few 
islands then project themselves into the channel, but 
the boat picks its way through them without any diffi- 
culty. At certain seasons the river is a veritable flower 
garden, where wind and tide are the gardeners. At one 
hour it may be almost covered from bank to bank with 
the lovely water hyacinth ; again, it is broken up into 
288 









1^ , -^^^^^M*^ 


'r. 
■1 




i 




\ 


■^ '^^^^pstt'; 



The Everglades 289 

islands and banks of flowers, of many sizes and forms, 
which arrange and rearrange themselves with kaleido- 
scopic effect and suddenness. The boatman may heap 
anathema after anathema upon them, but the visitor 
simply drinks in their beauty of design and color. Great 
flocks of wild ducks will be observed swimming on the 
surface of the river. They are much tamer here than 
they will be a few weeks later on our northern waters, 
where guns by the hundred are trained upon them filled 
with deadly loads of shot ready to take their lives. Here 
they are almost fearless, and frequently will not take 
to wing until the boat is within easy gunshot, since, as 
no one disturbs them, they do not mind its approach. 
It does seem fine to think that these poor, hunted 
creatures of the wild possess one retreat where they can 
feed and rest in peace without fear of the hunter and 
his murderous weapon. A few drowsy-eyed alligators 
may be surprised while sunning themselves on the top of 
the high banks, but they generally drop off with rather 
unusual haste for such deliberate creatures, as the noise 
of the oncoming motor is heard. 

Some cultivated fields and many citrus plantations are 
passed on the way, and a few homes will be seen along 
the river, but there is also very much unimproved land. 
Clumps of cedars are visible, mingled with the pine and 
palmetto. As a rule, the little landings serve only a 
few families. None of the bank has the appearance 
of an undiscovered country, except some stretches 
farther up where the river grows narrow and tortuous. 
In most places the water is not swift, for the fall is al- 
most imperceptible; but there are many snags, caused by 
submerged logs, which must be looked out for. The 
ends of palmetto trunks will sometimes be seen bobbing 
up and down with the current and swells from the 



290 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

launch, and they are frequently so hidden as not to be 
visible at first sight. 

As the river narrows, the scenery becomes far more 
fascinating. Tall ferns and a regular jungle of bushes 
and the palmetto line the banks in many places. Here, 
of course, the stream is entirely of fresh water, but it 
is brackish for many miles above Fort Myers, for the 
tide is still in evidence. The boat travels a dozen miles 
or more to advance half that distance. There are in- 
stances when there are two or three loops separated 
by only a few dozen yards. Scrub palmetto is either 
mixed or alternated with the more stately palmetto. In 
some instances the current has undermined the banks, 
and the long, slim bodies of the palmettos thrust them- 
selves out at an angle that sometimes almost interfere 
with navigation. Where the river has washed the banks 
the entire system of roots is exposed, but the trees are 
still held upright by the myriads of tiny roodets which 
spread out for many yards. A palmetto of forty feet 
will frequently stand in a dignified attitude by the side 
of a pine that reaches up in the air to an altitude twenty 
or thirty feet higher. 

The growth of the palmetto is decidedly peculiar. 
Whereas a pine, for instance, nine feet tall, boasts a 
trunk not over three inches in diameter, a palmetto has 
its greatest diameter at an early age. As the tree grows 
taller, the diameter of about a foot does not increase, ex- 
cept that the bases of the yearly stems stick to the trunk 
for a number of years. This rough surface makes an 
ideal trellis for all climbing things. When these fall 
off, a clean and barkless trunk is left. A few measure 
from seventy to eighty feet up to the feather-duster top. 
As age creeps upon the palmetto, the trunk dwindles in 
size, being worn away by both wind and weather, until 



The Everglades 291 

the oldest trunks become thin and gray, too frail to sup- 
port the superstructure. Then along comes a strong 
wind, and the aged palmetto is leveled to the ground, 
where it quickly decays and returns to its constituent ele- 
ments. 

The palmetto is undoubtedly one of the most striking 
and most pleasing features in Florida landscapes. One 
does not see this graceful tree to the best advantage until 
he has reached about the center of the state. In the 
northern part, the palmetto hardly seems acclimatized. 
One will find them set out along the walks and in formal 
gardens, where they seem to stand out stiffly and primly 
and to be rather self conscious. 

About half way up the St. John's River, the jungle 
increases in its stateliness, until in places there is an 
almost impenetrable bank of jasmine and green brier and 
gray moss. The interminable regularity of the pines is 
alleviated by groups of palmettos, which dot the land- 
scape, standing together or rather leaning together in 
groups, some of them looking almost like the plumed 
Seminole chieftain of the days long gone by. They add 
a beauty and coziness to the landscape, while losing 
nothing in the way of dignity. Along the banks of the 
streams, they lean their plumed heads far out over the 
water, and sometimes extend almost parallel with its sur- 
face. 

The presence of the picturesque and sociable palmetto 
oftentimes softens the dull level of the land and super- 
imposes a loveableness to the most barren plain. It al- 
ways seems ready to stroll on, for a group of them always 
gives a* semblance of motion. It is probably because 
their erect trunks are never quite perpendicular, but they 
seem poised as if ready for a step. Of all the trees of 
Florida, the palmetto seems to possess the most person- 



292 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

ality, and one learns to love it far beyond all the others. 
The ferns love them also and climb clear to the tops, 
where they continue to grow when the trunks have aged. 
Quite frequently, through some strange trick of nature, 
the feathery fronds look like they were set in vases, 
with the trunks as lofty pedestals. Although not ac- 
counted of much value, the palmettoes are certainly not 
useless. The trunks are occasionally cut into appropriate 
lengths for fence posts, and are sometimes set up for 
telephone poles. They do make specially good wharf 
piles, as the borers do not attack them as they do most 
woods. 

The palmetto's vitality is centered in the heart of its 
growing bunch of leaves. Fire may consume half the 
trunk, but if the central bud is not injured, the setback 
is only temporary. The soft enfolding of new leaves 
that surround the head somewhat resemble a cabbage in 
quality. From this resemblance comes the name cabbage 
palm, so frequently applied to it. Natives declare that 
this palmetto cabbage is very palatable. It is tender 
and has a slight nutty flavor. It is sometimes cut up 
raw and used as a cold slaw by those who are fond 
of it, and it is boiled the same as our garden cabbage. 

Great live oak trees a yard in diameter, occasionally 
guard the bank with their massive spreading arms, with 
long gray ears of moss hanging from them, and the 
branches overgrown with parasites of many kinds, in- 
cluding the brilliant orchids. Other growths more 
familiar to the northern visitor, such as the maple, 
hickory, and the graceful willow, are also included within 
the perspective. A few razorbacked hogs are sure to 
be seen on the banks, but they seem wilder than the 
so-called wild animals. If you should encounter one of 
these creatures in the jungles, you would be frightened 



The Everglades 293 

at his weird and ferocious aspect. His own " woof ". 
of surprise at seeing you would not tend to alleviate 
your feeling of fear and terror. Herons of all kinds are 
encountered, from the great blue to the little green 
species. Sometimes they will fly up the stream ahead 
of the boat until again disturbed by its approach, and 
then they will take wing with emphatic cries of protest. 
The cry is neither the quack of the duck nor the croak 
of the raven, but may be said to range somewhere 
between the two. A sudden splash might indicate the 
drop of a water turkey. H so, a long snake-like neck 
and head, ornamented with a couple of bright eyes, will 
soon appear above the water to take note of the sur- 
roundings and decide whether the fancied danger has 
passed. 

Thus it is that the way continues up to where stop 
is made over night, with not a dull moment for an ob- 
servant traveler. Some of the bends double back so 
sharply that it seems almost impossible for the pilot to 
turn his thirty-five foot boat. You might take a stone 
and cast it over the narrow bit of ground intervening 
between the new and the old course. A few rods more 
in the onward journey and another turn may become 
necessary. The river becomes so narrow that a good 
pole-vaulter might easily jump across it, if he could find 
a solid place in the stream to plant his pole. But the 
twisting of the stream is one of its charms. Although 
one would not want it to continue forever, the tourist 
is usually sorry when the end of navigation on the 
Caloosahatchee has been reached, for it has been a de- 
lightful and profitable experience. 

Stop is generally made at the La Belle over night, 
and here one will find a thriving little village that has 
grown up within a few years. It is almost on the edge 



294 Florida; The Land of Enchantment 

of the Everglades, but is in a good cattle country, and 
one sees herds of cattle feeding in the woods and out 
on the plains, called savannahs. Islands of timber are 
interspersed with larger stretches of untimbered land. 
Occasionally one will see a little, but dense, clump of 
palmettoes standing out on the plain in isolation, with 
no other trees near. Denser forests of pines are 
encountered in other places. Roads are now being 
made passable, but few homes will be encountered, for 
the ownership is generally in large tracts. The soil 
differs greatly, and this accounts for the varied growth. 
In places the sand on the roads is deep, and an automobile 
could not traverse it were not for pine needle branches 
thrown into the ruts, which enable the rubber tires to 
secure traction. 

On the way from La Belle to Lake Okeechobee, an- 
other small lake, called Lake Hicpochee, is crossed. It is 
not a large body of water, as compared with its more 
impressive rival, but it is fairly alive with bird life. Two 
or three large flocks of the white ibis, frequently called 
the curlew, were circling overhead in graceful gyrations 
as we sailed over these waters, while flocks of ducks and 
coot, numbering hundreds, swarmed over the level sur- 
face. In the grass along the edge were seen hundreds 
of blackbirds, both red wings and others. A few herons 
stood in the shallow water with a superb dignity of pose, 
looking like statues of frozen alertness. 

Just where the drainage canal connecting Lake Okee- 
chobee with the Caloosahatchee River emerges from the 
lake, is situated the village of Moore Haven. It is a 
recent town, with all the newness of a western boom 
place. A moving picture auditorium was built before 
there were enough inhabitants to fill the orchestra seats. 
But this is only an indication of enterprise. Around it is 



The Everglades 295 



one of the most extensive attempts to reclaim the Ever- 
glades, and pioneers are coming in to aid in the work. 
Little temporary shacks are erected, and then the man 
with the hoe and the grub get to work. In a short time 
crops are growing and it only needs the completion of 
railroad connection with the outside world to create a 
good market for his products, and this is promised before 
long. 

Ever since childhood the name of Okeechobee has had 
a fascination for me. It has been inseparably allied with 
romance. Hence it was that I eagerly awaited my first 
view of this great inland sea. In some respect it was a 
disappointment. The lowering of the water by the 
drainage canals had left a broad border of exposed bot- 
tom, and the water was so shallow that it was possible 
for a six-footer to wade out for miles without reaching 
water hip deep. We had no sooner passed out of the 
canal than our boat became stranded on a sand bar. But 
there it was, old Lake Okeechobee, stretching away to- 
ward the distant horizon and almost reaching it. At sev- 
eral places little lighthouses have been erected to guide the 
mariner across its stormy surface. Above was a cloud 
specked sky, which added greatly to the beauty of the 
scene. The lake originally covered an area of almost 
half a million acres, and the watershed which drained 
into it covered an area of approximately four million 
acres. At its maximum height, during the rainy season, 
the lake was not over twenty-two or -three feet above 
sea level. Without a natural outlet the surplus water 
at this season, which is in the summer and fall, overflowed 
into the Everglades to the south. The most prominent 
stream emptying into it is the Kissimmee River, which 
winds back and forth in a tortuous course. As the level 
of the water of this river during normal times is almost 



296 Florida; The Land of Enchantment 

the same as the muck land on the banks, during the rainy 
season the lake became greatly expanded by reason of the 
overflow. 

Sunset came, and the lake became a flood of crimson 
glory. The sun, a great ball rimmed with fire, sank be- 
hind the saw grass of the Everglades. As darkness fell 
and the searchlight was thrown out into the enclosing 
walls of saw grass, we began to amuse ourselves by hunt- 
ing for alligators. It was a harmless sport — for the al- 
ligators — for, although there were many victims, there 
were no casualties. The searchlight would be flashed 
along one bank and then along the other until it was an- 
swered by a gleam like a coal of fire. Then the light 
would be kept steadily on this gleam. When the boat was 
almost opposite the gleam, an alligator would be seen 
swimming away or sinking beneath the surface. On 
two or three occasions as many as three alligators were 
seen together. In this way we passed two or three 
hours and the " bag " was no fewer than fifty victims of 
the hunt, with the searchlight as a weapon. 

The Everglades have ever been wrapped about with 
mystery. The fables related about them have drawn to 
that region thousands who loved adventure. The his- 
torians of early Spanish days began the relation of fables. 
All of these seem to us like fairy tales. Add to this the 
stories of the pirates and buccaneers, who ventured along 
the Florida shores with their ships laden with rich booty, 
chased here by hostile pursuers. They would quickly 
disappear within the mysterious fastnesses of the Glades, 
and were absolutely lost to pursuit. Hence it is, that to 
this day there are innumerable tales of treasures existing 
in scuttled boats and of buried wealth in these winding 
streams. Numerous islands are the reputed burying 
places of these lost treasures, and many thousands of dol- 



The Everglades 297 



lars have been spent in attempts to discover the hoards 
of the old sea-rover days. 

Stories used to be told, also, of a sinking mountain that 
arose in the very center of this land of mystery — legends 
which formed the basis of many wonderful tales of novel- 
ists, for which there was not the slightest basis of truth. 
They were founded entirely on misinformation and mis- 
conception, for exploration has demonstrated that there 
is not anything that can be called a hill in the Everglades. 

The total area of the Everglades is estimated at from 
five to eight thousand miles, a territory the size of Con- 
necticut or New Jersey. It is about one hundred miles 
long and seventy miles wide, according to the outlines 
generally ascribed to it. Its northern boundary is Lake 
Okeechobee, while its southern limits are the mangrove 
swamps facing the Gulf of Mexico. On the west is the 
Big Cypress Swamp, while, on the east, five or six miles 
of pine land separates it from the Atlantic Ocean. It is 
a vast Glade region, covered during the rainy season with 
water, through which flow channels of water, but is inter- 
spersed with grassy spaces and wooded islands. The 
region is not exacdy land, and it is not exactly water. 
You cannot travel by land, because of the presence of 
so much water, and, on the other hand, you cannot jour- 
ney freely by water, because of the prevalence of the 
close-grown, saw-edged grass, which effectually bars the 
progress of a boat. 

Some one has suggested that an amphibious motor-car, 
with a scythe-bearing attachment, would be the proper 
equipment for the traveler in this region. Nature had 
certainly fortified herself well in the effort to guard the 
secrets of the Everglades from prying eyes, for the gentle 
waters and waving grasses were more effective than 
steep precipices or Saharan wastes. It suggests silence 



298 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

and repose and has a peculiar charm somewhat hke the 
monotony of the sea, with its interminable growth of 
grass through which water is seldom seen. None of it 
exceeds twenty feet above the level of the sea, and there is 
a slight depression towards the interior. In general, the 
slope will not exceed about three inches to the mile. 
Near Miami the elevatioa above sea level is not more 
than six or eight feet. There are several outlets through 
rivers such as the Caloosahatchee, Harvey, New, Miami 
and Shark's rivers. Through these flow the excess of 
rainfalls and the outpouring from the many subterranean 
springs. 

" The Great Landscape Gardener," says a writer, " to 
ease the monotony of so much sameness, dotted it with 
islets — hammocks they are called — heavy with tropical 
growth and plumed usually with one or two palmetto 
palms which rise smooth for thirty feet and then burst 
into a bouquet of long waving branches. To give it color 
the birds were placed here, covered with feathers of every 
shade and tint, — herons and ibises and many other, the 
bronze ibis with a design on his back like a Turkish rug. 
Add to this many strange but beautiful flowers and fra- 
grant perfumes, and you will see that not even the most 
maligned Everglades have been neglected." The islands 
are covered with luxuriant virgin forests. The bays 
and live oaks will be found, as well as the wild cucum- 
bers, wild lemon and orange, the cabbage palmetto and 
the pine. Wild rubber trees grow on some, and every- 
where there is a phenomenal growth of vines. The 
morning-glory and honeysuckle attain a great size and 
are seen everywhere, and there is a remarkable profusion 
of wild flowers. There are giant ferns, the fronds of 
which are ten feet in length. 

Generally speaking, the water of the Everglades is 



The Everglades 299 

fresh and palatable. It is undoubtedly fed largely by 
subterranean springs. The air is also pure, wholesome 
and practically free from disease germs, for stagnant 
pools are practically unknown. Sea breezes blow over 
the region, so that the air is filled with ozone. The health 
of the Seminoles is proof of this fact. During the 
summer season the islands are not overflown, but hold 
just enough moisture to promote a luxuriant tropical 
growth. Here it is that the self -exiled Indians cultivate 
their little gardens. Here they can drink in the beauty 
of sun and sky, of flowers and meadows. The open 
flower-covered channels, leading between walls of wav- 
ing grass, dividing and subdividing, call to them. The 
surface soil which covers the coral substructure is muck 
and humus deposited by the vegetation. 

" There is nothing quite so aggravating as to get sewed 
up in one of these pockets," says a traveler, " in the 
open saw-grass with deep water in plain view and fair 
shady trees to welcome you, but tired and disgusted you 
stand as high as possible in the canoe and see only one 
chance in a hundred to find the right channel to go 
through." There is no use for a compass, and it is a 
waste of time to think about it. In order to go north you 
may have to take the other three points of the compass. 
The traveler can " lay aside his Bible, quote a chapter 
from Dante's Inferno, and plough through the mud 
until his energy is exhausted and wonder if Dante ever 
heard tell of the Everglades." 

The most striking feature to the visitor is the luxuriant 
and the ever present growth of saw-grass, as it is called. 
It is well named, for the edge of the grass will cut the 
hands badly if handled carelessly. Rooted in the soft 
soil, it grows with wonderful rapidity. It develops in 
places to a height of ten feet, and it is almost impossible 



300 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

to make one's way through it, for it is almost as tough 
as bamboo. What makes this grass so formidable is the 
saw-like edge which it has on three sides. Its serrated 
edges will cut to the bone with a jagged gash that will 
take long to heal. When very thick it is almost impos- 
sible to push your way through. It is better to beat your 
way a dozen miles around it, where the growth is thick, 
than push your way through a half mile of it. Toward 
the western edge it is mingled with the wild myrtle. The 
little narrow and tortuous canals frequently terminate 
in an impassable barrier of grass and even quicksand. 
But these conditions vary according to the season, for 
there is a difference of two or three feet between the 
highest and the lowest level. Fully one-half of the total 
area has no water upon it at most seasons. 

The first white man to invade this region, of whom we 
have a record, was Escalente de Fontenada. Having 
been shipwrecked in the Florida Straits, he was captured 
by the Indian chief Calos, who was at the head of the 
tribes inhabiting this region. By these aborigines it was 
called La Mayaimi, which name is still preserved in Mi- 
ami River. By him it was named Laguno del Espiritu 
Sancto. He was held captive here for seventeen years 
in practical slavery, and has left us some account of his 
various experiences. He was interested only in the 
search for gold and the fountain of perpetual youth. 
No gold was discovered, so he tells us, and although he 
" bathed in every pool and spring," he was unable to 
stop the onward march of age, and he paid his debt to 
nature in the due course of time. For centuries after 
the experiences of Fontenada, the Everglades remained 
a real terra incognita. 

Up to a few years ago, the Everglades were almost 
unknown, and there are still goodly sized tracts that 



The Everglades 301 



have not been trod by white men. The Indian name for 
them is Pah-hag-o-kee, or the " grassy water." During 
the Seminole War, several incursions were made into 
this vast region by detachments of American troops, but 
they were looking for the genus homo and were not 
seeking knowledge, although their reports did convey val- 
uable information. The principal expeditions were led 
by Lieutenant Commanders Marchand and Rogers in 
1842, and Lieutenant Martin in 1847. Captain Dawson, 
with a considerable party and an Indian guide, made a 
reconnaissance in 1855. They found direct advance im- 
possible for any great distance. Sometimes the head 
canoe would be a mile in advance by the trail, while the 
actual distance separating them would be but a few 
yards. Their log showed that they had actually traveled 
one hundred and twenty miles in an advance of fifty-three 
miles. 

In 1833, an expedition was dispatched here by the New 
Orleans Times-Democrat, under command of Major A. 
P. Williams. It started from Fort Myers and proceeded 
to Lake Okeechobee. After much hardship it managed 
to reach the gulf by way of the Shark River, spending in 
all fifty-one days in exploration. Another expedition was 
made under the auspices of the Florida East Coast Rail- 
way and in charge of J. E. Ingraham, in 1892. The 
party numbered twenty-one men in all. It started at Fort 
Myers and pursued a circuitous route across the Ever- 
glades to Fort Shackleford, at the mouth of the Miami 
River. It explored the very heart of this region where 
the Caucasian had never before penetrated, so far as is 
known. The explorers were unable to maintain an av- 
erage of five miles a day. Because of the difficulties 
and handicaps that were encountered, the main purpose 
of the expedition, that of surveying, had to be abandoned, 



302 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

although its journey was completed after many hardships. 
The chronicler of the expedition wrote: 

" Locomotion is extremely difficult and slow. The 
bog is fearful, and it sometimes seems as though it 
would be easier to stay in than to go on. Both legs up 
to the waist frequently become inbedded in the same 
hole in the mud, and to extricate one's self with from 
thirty to fifty pounds weight on the back requires strength 
and time. Packing for any distance is impracticable. 
A man by himself, carrying nothing, would probably 
fail to reach the timber from this point. The boats are 
very necessary to enable one to pull himself out of the 
mud, and even then the labor is most exhausting." 

Surveying had to be abandoned because the help of 
every man was needed in the work of moving forward, 
and provisions ran short. Six years later, Lieutenant 
Hugh L. Willoughby crossed the Everglades with only 
one companion, and added considerable to our knowledge 
of the region. He was an experienced camper, and had 
made his preparations with great care. The two men 
entered by way of Harvey River, west of Cape Sable, 
and worked their way in a northeasterly direction. They 
reached Miami in fifteen days. Since then there have 
been a number of persons who have crossed the Glades. 
Mr. Dimock has given us an interesting account of his 
experiences and the difficulties encountered today. 
There are so many little canals that the uninitiated may 
easily become lost and might perish. 

The Indian hardly understands the use of the paddle, 
but employs the pole almost entirely in moving about 
through this region. He uses the pole with a skill that 
can only come of practice from early childhood. His 
canoe is made of hollowed-out cypress logs, and is quite 
narrow when compared with its length. Although cy- 



The Everglades 303 

press wood is rather light, a canoe will weigh from two 
hundred to three hundred pounds. The poler stands 
up when he is at work, and the extra elevation aids him in 
seeing through the tall grass. The canoe is generally 
colored black, with little or no ornamentation. 

There is romance in every square mile of the Ever- 
glades. During the Civil War the swamps were filled 
with deserters from the Confederate service and refugees. 
Since then there has never been a time when fugitives 
from justice, or injustice, moonshiners or murderers, 
criminals of the chain gang or mere honest smugglers, 
have not been present. Many of them have a price set 
upon their heads, which is sufficient to induce a man 
hunt by the officials of the country. Down in the mazes 
of the Ten Thousand Islands, one will sometimes meet 
men who turn their faces away and will merely smile if 
you ask them their names. Sometimes they kill men 
whom they fear are after them, and occasionally they slay 
each other either in a drunken quarrel or for the purpose 
of robbery. 

While I was in Florida, two men became lost in the 
Everglades and aeroplanes were sent out to locate them 
and Seminoles employed to search for them. After more 
than a week, they finally appeared, but their sufferings 
had been terrible. I mention this only as an incident 
proving that danger still lurks in the Everglades for the 
uninitiated. This great wilderness is now mostly in- 
cluded in three counties. These are Lee, of the Big Cy- 
press Swamp, Dade, of the Everglades proper, and Mon- 
roe, of the ten times Ten Thousand Islands. The popu- 
lation of these counties will probably not average three- 
quarters of a person to the square mile outside of the 
county seats. 

It would be possible for an experienced hunter to live 



304 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

in the Everglades for there is game, such as deer and 
alligators, many birds and fish, while turtles and large 
snails can be captured almost anywhere. The leaves 
of the sweet bay tree make an excellent tea which is quite 
refreshing, and, besides, there are wild fruits of several 
kinds, such as figs, avocado pears, grapes and plums grow- 
ing in many places. 

" Limbkins taste like young turkeys," says Mr. Dim- 
ock. " All members of the heron family are likely to be 
found in the Glades, and most other birds are fair food. 
Snails, which abound, are delicacies, when called peri- 
nickles ; you will pay a dollar a portion in New York for 
the frogs that are yours for the catching in the Glades. 
There are plenty of turtle, which possess all the good 
qualities, except cost, of the green turtle, or the terrapin. 
A few fruits can be had for dessert — cocoa-plums, cus- 
tard-apples and pawpaws — while the leaves of the sweet 
bay make a fragrant beverage." 

Snakes are frequently encountered in the Glades, 
many of which are poisonous. They do not pose them- 
selves in artistic festoons, as sometimes pictured in old 
wood engravings, but they exist in sufficient numbers 
to satisfy the most exacting tourist to these regions. 
One of the United States officials in charge of the sub- 
sistence during the Florida War recommended in one of 
his reports : " That the enlisted men be taught how to 
broil snake, which was good enough for any one to eat." 
Although the Seminoles are habitually barelegged, they 
escape the venom of these reptiles with an antidote which 
is known to few persons outside the tribe. Stories of 
immense snakes that have either been seen or killed are 
frequently circulated. There are many water moccasins 
and rattlesnakes, both of which are among our most 
poisonous reptiles. There are records of diamond- 



The Everglades 305 



backed rattlers that are seven feet from head to tail, 
while the thick and clumsy and stubby-tailed moccasins, 
which are scarcely less venomous, reach a length of four 
feet. 

It is surprising how fearless many men become in 
handling the deadliest reptiles. They will approach a 
coiled rattlesnake with seeming impunity, and grab the 
snake by the back of the neck. His rattle may whir vio- 
lently and he will look in as threatening a manner as a 
snake can, but it is said that the rattlesnake will seldom 
strike if there is a possibility of escaping, unless he is 
shedding. As for myself, I believe in " safety first," and 
am willing to give his snakeship the very widest berth 
possible on each and every occasion. There are also 
large snakes of eight feet and proportionately thick, which 
are perfectly harmless. People look upon them with con- 
sideration, because they eat rats and other vermin, and 
are reported to destroy the poisonous snakes. " The 
tenants of the upper story (the birds) are beautiful and 
most fascinating. But the folks of the lower flat! 
Br-r-r, wur-r-r, ugh ! " 

At times it is difficult to find a dry place to camp in the 
Glades, and the boats must occasionally be dragged for 
considerable distances through the shallow water and 
over the coarse grass. One will probably travel three 
times as far between two points as a crow would fly. 
One of the great pests is a minute little creature, called 
the " redbug," which can make life miserable for any one. 
A hunter who will bravely wade through waters infested 
with alligators, and tread the prairies which are the 
homes of the diamond rattlesnake fearlessly, and face the 
moccasin in his lair with audacity, will flee from the 
region infested with the redbug in a panic. It is able to 
make simple existence a living torture. 



306 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

The history of the reclamation of the Everglades began 
a few years after the admission of Florida to the Union. 
In fact, it was in that same year that the Legislature of 
Florida instructed her senators and representatives to call 
the attention of Congress to the Everglades, with a view 
to their reclamation. In 1847, Senator Westcott re- 
quested the appointment of " an agent to make a recon- 
naissance of these lands and make a report as to the prob- 
able practicability of the work." In obedience to this 
request, an agent was appointed to " procure authorita- 
tive information in regard to what was generally called 
the ' Ever Glades ' on the peninsula of Florida, for the 
purpose of ascertaining the practicability of draining 
them." This agent prepared an elaborate report, and 
with it began modern and scientific knowledge of the 
practicability of this great project. The report was pub- 
lished and widely distributed. It aroused much interest, 
which has been increasing each year in these three score 
and ten years that have elapsed. Since that time, many 
additional surveys have been made, both state and na- 
tional, and their reports have been given to the public. 

Through an Act of Congress, passed in 1850, known as 
the " swamp and overflowed land grant," some twenty 
million acres of land were eventually patented to Florida, 
although the deed was not issued until 1903. The pri- 
mary purpose of this legislation was to assist the states 
to reclaim the swamp or overflowed lands within their 
border, by means of drains or levees. The Legislature 
of Florida formally accepted the grant by the United 
States in 1851, and established a board of internal im- 
provement, composed of a membership from the various 
judicial districts. This arrangement did not prove satis- 
factory, and a few years later an act was passed establish- 
ing a board known as Trustees of the Internal Improve- 



The Everglades 307 



ment Fund, composed of the Governor, Comptroller, 
Treasurer, Attorney General, and Commissioner. 

The first contract entered into for the reclamation of 
the Everglades was with Henry Disston and associates, 
in 1 88 1. By this agreement the contracting parties 
agreed to drain and reclaim at their own expense a 
large expanse of this region. Operations were begun 
near Kissimmee and prosecuted for a number of years by 
the Disston company, which was known as the Atlantic 
and Gulf Coast Canal and Okeechobee Land Company. 
An official investigation of its work was made and, as a 
result of the report, a modification of the original contract 
was made in 1888. By this new agreement the Disston 
Company was to be given a deed for one acre of land for 
each twenty-five cents expended in its work of reclama- 
tion. Outside of its results along the Kissimmee River, 
its only accomplishments that aided the drainage project 
as a whole were the canal connecting Lake Okeechobee 
with the Caloosahatchee River, and another running 
south from that lake, which was without an outlet. Op- 
erations of the company ceased about the year 1889. 

In 1902, Governor Jennings attacked in an energetic 
manner the question of draining the Everglades. Much 
data concerning the topography, rainfall, altitude, out- 
lets, etc., were prepared by competent engineers, as well 
as information about the fertility of the soil and the best 
routes for outlets. A sale was made of one hundred 
thousand acres of the land to raise funds for the project. 
To contest this title the railroads interested brought suit 
to secure the proceeds of the sale of land, which they 
claimed belonged to them. Their claims were based upon 
grants made by the Legislature to encourage the construc- 
tion of railway lines. The various grants of swamp and 
overflowed lands claimed by them exceeded eight mil- 



308 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

lion acres. This brought about protracted htigation to 
settle the title. The court finally upheld the sale and au- 
thorized the trustees to make other sales if they deemed it 
necessary. Had they lost, it would have endangered the 
entire reclamation project. The subject entered into 
politics and became the dominant issue in a number of 
gubernatorial campaigns. In 1905, a final plat of the 
plan to be followed was agreed upon by the Trustees, and 
the land was divided into townships, which were num- 
bered. The total number of acres included in the drain- 
age project, which includes lands contiguous to the Ever- 
glades proper, exceeds four million. An annual tax of 
five cents an acre was levied upon the land to be benefitted, 
as another source of revenue, and this was upheld. This 
tax, together with the power to sell lands, provided suf- 
ficient funds for the work. A United States government 
engineer was secured to take charge of the work, and 
things began to move. 

A dozen or more canals leading to the coast are in- 
cluded in the comprehensive project. Of these, four 
have reached the east coast, although the work of widen- 
ing and deepening is not finished. These are the West 
Palm Beach, the Hillsboro, the North New River to Fort 
Lauderdale, and the South New River, having its term- 
inus at Miami. It was found that the waters of Lake 
Okeechobee were lowered too much, so that dams are 
being constructed to again raise its level, which must be 
kept at a minimum of sixteen feet above sea level, ac- 
cording to the requirements of the United States. There 
are many complaints about the slow progress of the work 
from purchasers of lands, and there is probably good 
reason for it; but, at any rate, a good beginning has 
been made. The first dredge, called the Everglades, was 
launched at Fort Lauderdale, on the 4th of July, 1906, 



The Everglades 309 

and the Okeechobee in the following October. Since 
then several other dredges have been put at work, and the 
project has proceeded steadily. A number of goodly 
sized tracts of land have been sold, for which the state 
realized as much as fifteen dollars per acre in 19 lo, in- 
stead of two dollars a couple of years earlier. Since 
then prices have advanced still higher. It is believed that 
the work now under way will eventually make available 
for the common good these millions of acres of exceed- 
ingly fertile lands, which are greatly favored by climatic 
conditions. 

One of the most picturesque features of Florida has 
always been that uncouth and fierce-looking reptile called 
the alligator. Everybody who comes down here to the 
peninsula has an ambition to see one in the wild. Al- 
though it is found almost everywhere in the state, its 
real home has been in the Everglades. The visitor will 
learn, if he keeps his eyes open, that the alligator has 
not entirely disappeared from Florida. For the past few 
years the price of hides has been so low that the hunters 
have not been active. Even the Seminoles have been so 
discouraged ty the returns that they have lessened their 
efforts, and this fact has resulted in an increase of alli- 
gators. The big ones are rare, for it requires many years 
for one of these awkward creatures to develop into a 
fifteen- footer. A score of years ago these saurians were 
to be found along all the rivers, and the broad paths by 
means of which they promenaded from one deep hole 
to another were very common. It is uncommon indeed 
to find these paths today, for they seem to stick more 
closely to their holes, which are so cleverly concealed 
by a screen of bushes or rushes that they are not easy to 
find. 

If an alligator is discovered enjoying a midday nap, 



310 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

it will be found that he is sleeping with one eyelid 
propped open. One gets used to seeing the rough fallen 
trunks of the palmettoes in the woods here, so that it is 
not an easy matter at a hasty glance to recognize an alli- 
gator. By the time one has recognized him there is a 
sudden scrambling of clawed feet, and a swish of a tail 
which is so big that it seems to wag the owner, and he 
has disappeared in the hole before you are aware that 
what seemed to be the trunk of a palmetto was an alli- 
gator. 

The alligator is a formidable looking monster, a full 
grown one, but it is said upon reliable authority that 
it will not attack a human, regardless of the fiction that 
pickaninnies are good alligator bait. The holes which 
are the hiding places of the alligators are often deep, and 
a fifteen-foot pole will not find the bottom. It is sur- 
prising also how much an alligator, floating in the water, 
resembles floating bits of bark or rubbish. At first only 
the nostrils and eyes come above the surface, while all 
the rest of the body is submerged. 

Now most of the alligator hunters work at night. 
They paddle around in the creeks and sloughs, with a 
bull's-eye lantern attached to the forehead like a miner's 
lamp. It is the deadliest foe of the creature and has 
done more to assist in its extinction than guns and gun- 
powder. In its stupid curiosity the beast watches the 
glimmer of light, and its eyes glow like coals of fire. 
One must stand immediately behind the light to see this 
reflected fire. 

The alligator's nest is amidst heaps of chopped reeds, 
dry leaves and rubbish. During midsummer the white 
eggs, about the size of a hen's egg, and enclosed in a 
tough leathery skin, are laid here. The heat and the 
steam of the swamp hatches the eggs without any further 



A Florida Alligator. 



The Everglades 811 

effort from the mother. She remains in the neighbor- 
hood, however, and, when the young 'gators are hatched, 
is ready to rush to their rescue, if she hears a cry of 
warning. The young alligators must be agile for, in 
addition to other enemies, the male parent has a tendency 
to devour them. 

The day of the professional alligator hunter, in the 
United States at least, is nearing an end. These 
lumbering creatures are becoming scarcer down in the 
sluggish streams of the Gulf Coast, all the way from 
Louisiana to Florida. A certain " Jake " was one of 
these 'gator hunters. His skin was tanned almost to 
the leathery hue of one of his own 'gator hides. His 
home was down in the peninsula. He knew the habits 
of these creatures. Finding an uninhabited hole, he 
held his nose between his thumb and finger, and grunted 
with a peculiar guttural sound, almost a perfect imita- 
tion of an old alligator. Soon there was a slight move- 
ment near the surface. He thrust in his hand with a 
sudden grab and out came a little alligator a foot long. 
Another grunt brought out another of the family; a 
third and fourth were added to the collection by the same 
process. One could not help feeling sorry for the little 
creatures with their soft bodies and pathetic eyes, al- 
though the pleasures of life in such lonely bogs is not 
apparent to a mere human. Then Jake changed his tac- 
tics and imitated the cries of the little alligators. The 
ground quivered faintly and the waters were violently 
agitated. 

" That's the big one — the mother," quickly said Jake, 
and continued his cries. 

The monster had responded to the natural instinct 
and arose to the surface. Jake reached in and brought 
forth an eight-foot monster, holding it securely by the 



312 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

jaws. A look of satisfaction overspread his face as he 
took a cord from his pocket and tied its mouth fast shut, 
at the same time fastening its legs over its back. This 
is the type of man that has brought about the extermina- 
tion of the alligator — he and the Seminole Indians. 
Only a few years ago as many as a thousand alligators 
were taken from a single small lake down in the Big 
Cypress Swamp. Now only a few would be found there. 

In these days it is the alligator farmer who has taken 
the place of the 'gator hunter. Many queer farming 
projects are found in the various parts of the world to- 
day. The disappearence of fur-bearing animals has in- 
duced the establishment of farms for the rearing of these 
creatures of the wild, for the sake of the furs. But one 
of the strangest kinds of farming that one can find 
in the United States is that for the raising of alligators. 
Several small establishments will be found in Florida, 
the sole object of which is to raise these amphibious crea- 
tures for the market. Some of these, which have sim- 
ply a small stagnant pool with a picket fence around it, 
and half a dozen or so young 'gators disporting them- 
selves inside, have for their principal purpose the edifica- 
tion of visitors to that neighborhood. There are others, 
however, which go into the business of raising these rep- 
tiles purely from the commercial profit. 

The demand for purses, traveling bags, etc., made 
from alligator hides, created the demand which has led 
to their practical extinction. Where the annual catch 
was once thousands, a few hundred is the limit now. 
The price paid the hunters was generally a mere pit- 
tance, for a large hide usually brought only a dollar. In 
the St. John's River, of Florida, where they were for- 
merly so numerous as to be almost a menace, one may 
sometimes travel from one end to the other of the stream 



The Everglades 313 

without seeing a single alligator's head sticking out of 
the water, or a solitary specimen sunning itself on the 
bank. 

To prevent the extinction of the reptile, and also to 
supply the demand from parks, menageries, etc., one of 
the first of these farms was established in Southern Flor- 
ida, on the banks of the Indian River, by a man who 
generally went by the name of Alligator Joe. At least 
he was known as such all over Florida, since he was 
considered to be the champion 'gator hunter of the coun- 
try. Outside of the cannibalistic tendencies of the older 
ones, the young 'gators are assailed by few dangers, and 
there is little difficulty in rearing them to maturity. The 
old ones are repulsive looking creatures, and their mouths 
are hideous looking traps for unwary game. In cap- 
tivity, they are not difficult to feed, for they will eat al- 
most any sort of meat, whether given to them alive or 
dead. They prefer, however, fish, turtles, frogs, and the 
other small creatures which frequent their native lagoons. 

It seems rather strange to speak of the crocodile in 
the United States, and yet there are quite a number in 
Florida. It is nearly extinct, so we are told, but a few 
wild ones are still left in their native heath down in 
the extreme end of the peninsula. He is more agile than 
the alligator and his speed is greater, but the most dis- 
tinguished characteristic is the pointed and knobbed nose. 
In the water both creatures might appear the same to 
the average onlooker, but a glance at the proboscis end 
will reveal the difference between alligator and crocodile. 
The crocodile is not so savage as the alligator, and is also 
very much shier. Although active in defending him- 
self when attacked by the hunter, when once captured 
and his jaws tied, he becomes as gentle as the proverbial 
lamb and makes no further resistance. A husky croco- 



314 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

dile, however, can make a lot of trouble for a hunter in a 
light canoe before he is placed hors de combat. 

The presence of the crocodile is revealed by a peculiar 
musk odor well known to the hunter. His lairs are 
quite easily found, for his " slide " will be observed lead- 
ing down to the water from his favorite sunning bank. 
It is not really a dangerous sport, for the crocodile 
will always flee so long as there is an opportunity to 
escape, and will only fight when that prospect no longer 
presents itself. Then he may open wide his formidable 
jaws and make a dash for his pursuers who have no con- 
sideration for his privacy and personal rights. He has 
been known to take out the side of a boat in his huge 
jaws, and it is almost impossible to pierce his scaly body 
either with a rifle shot or an ordinary harpoon. When 
captured, one must be careful to keep the crocodile's 
head above the water, if it is desired to keep him alive, for 
he cannot breathe under the water. 

" To photograph the uncaptured crocodile in his native 
haunts," says A. W. Dimock, " requires patience, pa- 
tience, and more patience. You must seal up your guns, 
locate yourselves near his residence, and if your ways 
are gentle and you have the wisdom of the serpent, you 
may convince him that you also possess the harmlessness 
of the dove. On your first approach to his home he will 
glide from his bed on the bank to the bottom of the chan- 
nel at the first sound of your distant paddle. Then day 
by day he will grow careless, until some bright noon you 
will catch him asleep on his bed or get a snapshot with 
your camera at his head as he slowly sinks back into his 
cave." 



CHAPTER XVII 

THE KEYS 

That long chain of islands, stretching in a curved di- 
rection towards the southwest from the southernmost 
mainland of Florida, has always been a land of romance 
and mystery. There are literally hundreds of them, little 
oases amidst the watery waste, and there is always the 
opportunity for the exclusive person to purchase a little 
island retreat where he will be secure from unwelcome 
intrusion. All of these islets seem to have been upbuilt 
from an underlying reef, for there is another great reef 
in the ocean bed which does not reach the surface of 
the water. 

There are many wonderful glimpses of the sea that 
one obtains on a trip down over the Keys. One real- 
izes this when the train slides off the mainland, down 
near Everglade, onto the first key, over an extenuated 
causeway. It is ever impressed upon the traveler as he 
passes from one islet to another, and as he journeys by 
some tiny bay where the mangrove lines the shore or 
the cocoanut palms lean lovingly out over the waters. 
With the lights the colors change wonderfully, but they 
are always brilliant. The sea is frequently a beautiful 
turquoise blue, so soft and so pure that one almost cries 
out with happiness. One shallow lagoon may appear 
like the half-opaque, half -translucent white of pearls; an- 
other has a hint of deep topaz ; again the tint shades from 
shining purple to emerald and jade, or a rusty purple- 
brown in the shadows. The Keys at times seem like 

315 



316 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

emeralds in settings of silver floating on seas of lapis 
lazuli, and the soft trade winds sough through palm and 
mangrove and bay cedar. *' If," says a writer, " in the 
building of North America, all the chips and dust left 
over were dumped off short in the making of Florida, 
then the sea which bathes its southernmost tip of coral 
islands must surely be formed from the dust of all gems 
that have been put into the ground for mines since the 
world was first conceived." 

How Florida arose is a matter of speculation for 
learned and bewigged scientists ; but some things are ab- 
solutely certain. One of the great builders was undoubt- 
edly the coral insect. It constructed the walls which 
retained the soil which came from somewhere — prob- 
ably from the Gulf shores along Louisiana and Texas. 
In this way it was just borrowed from one state to help 
another, and, although one state lost it, all of the soil has 
remained within the United States. 

The mangrove tree has contributed a great deal. The 
mangrove today lines the shores of thousands of un- 
named islands off the southern coast of the states and 
borders the sea, where its dark green leaves shine above 
the dull red of the innumerable roots. When once 
planted on the barren sands and slippery soil, the plant 
securely anchors itself; it secures a firm hold by shooting 
forth aerial roots, like cables, from the branches above, 
which again entrench themselves in the earth and fortify 
the main trunk. Vigorous roots are sent forth, which 
divide and subdivide and interlace themselves, until an 
almost impenetrable jungle is created. 

In midsummer the mangrove is covered with yellow 
blossoms. The seeds begin to germinate before the fruit 
is thoroughly ripened. After growing several inches, 
the young shoot separates itself from the parent trunk 



The Keys 317, 



and establishes an independent existence. Some attach 
themselves to the soil, possibly a foot under water. Oth- 
ers sail forth to a greater distance, always floating up- 
right. In this way a single tree might start an island of 
itself under favorable circumstances. The jungle of the 
mangrove is greatly aided by the railroad vine, which 
spreads its octopus-like arms over each new bit of soil 
and retains its own dead leaves. The wandering zephyr 
brings seeds which germinate and the thin soil is gradu- 
ally developed by slow accretions. The swampy nature 
will eventually disappear and there will be a hammock. 
Then, in the course of time, the mangrove is supplanted 
by the gnarled live oak, the graceful pines, the blooming 
magnolias and many species of palms. 

No portion of our western frontier was more prim- 
itive or more unpeopled than this swarm of islands and 
islets known as the Keys, until a man with money and 
inspired by a creative intellect decided to construct a rail- 
road to Key West. To accomplish this it was necessary 
to bridge thirty miles of open sea and almost as much 
more of submerged keys and lagoons. Cuba was the 
lodestar that impelled him on, for Henry M. Flagler 
foresaw a marvellous development of that tropical island. 
This road was destined to be an important transportation 
link between that island and the United States. Ferries 
were planned to transfer loaded cars between the two 
countries, so that no reloading would be necessary. It 
would also be the quickest route for mail and passengers, 
with the shortest sea voyage. 

Never before had such wonderful bridging been at- 
tempted. Many said it was absolutely impossible. In 
one instance, at least, the distance is so great that the 
horizon closes in on the opposite terminus. In the con- 
struction it was necessary to build towers for sighting the 



318 Florida; The Land of Enchantment 

instruments, for the curvature of the earth rendered the 
rodman on the key undistinguishable from the man with 
the transit. The work must be so substantial that it could 
stand the buffeting of the severe tropical storms and 
tremendous seas that are sometimes stirred up in these 
waters. The problem of labor and transportation of ma- 
terials was a tremendous one. The traveler by train 
misses a view of the great viaducts. The first elaborate 
one is from Long Key to Conch Key, where the railroad 
marches across two miles of sea on one hundred and 
eighty concrete arches, thirty-one feet above the level of 
the sea. It has the aspect of a Roman aqueduct, and" 
reminds one of the famous aqueduct that bestrides the 
Roman Campagna. In colossal strength and with dig- 
nity of outline, its arches stretch across the water until 
they seem to sink into the distant horizon. Save for the 
low key at either end, there is no land in sight anywhere, 
nothing but the ocean changing in color from green to 
blue as it rolls forth from the Gulf Stream on the At- 
lantic and melts into the western sky on the opposite side. 
The longest viaduct is from Knight's Key to Little Neck 
Key, and it is almost seven miles in length. The viaduct 
across Bahia Honda Channel is less than a mile in extent, 
but the deep water and strong tides made the construction 
very difficult. When viewing those great bridges one be- 
gins to faintly realize the magnitude of the proposition 
that confronted the engineers who were called upon to 
construct this mighty work, and you admire the skill 
with which it was accomplished. 

The elevation of the Keys above the sea is very slight, 
and some are separated from their nearest neighbor by 
only a few feet. Very little soil covers the surface, and 
this is composed of sand, disintegrated coral and humus. 
Some are simply a mangrove jungle, while others are 



The Keys 319 



covered with an intricate growth of vines and small 
trees which root themselves in the fissures of the rocks. 
In none does the native vegetation attain a height of any 
great importance. The inclination of the trees indicates 
the commonness of high winds, and the storms at times 
attain a real hurricane velocity. The list of trees is long 
and exceedingly interesting to the naturalist. Mahogany 
will be found, but it is not of a size to possess any 
commercial value. The gumbo-limbo is a peculiar tree 
which will sprout after being cut into fenceposts and 
produce vigorous trees. Little-known trees, such as 
the satinwood, lancewood, fiddlewood and torch- 
wood, are encountered. Lignum vitse and tamarinds 
and the castor oil tree are among the numerous other 
varieties, and the bamboo may occasionally be seen 
hiding away in secret places. Vines and mosses and the 
lichens are also found, as well as the beautiful parasitic 
orchids. 

Splendid groves of the cocoanut abound on some of the 
Keys, which have been planted, and the traveler must be 
careful to investigate before he horizontalizes himself 
under one for a midday nap or he may be unexpectedly 
awakened by a mature cocoanut falling upon his head. 
Tropical fruits, such as the guavas, tamarinds, mammae, 
sapodilla, lemons and limes, have been introduced and 
seem to thrive. The searchers after shells will find speci- 
mens of great interest and multitudinous in variety. 
They range from shells that are almost infinitesimal in 
size to large ones of strange outline and wonderful in 
color. At sea the Portuguese men-o'-war, sea-biscuits, 
star-fish, seahorses, sea-spiders and crabs of various kinds 
are visible. A glass-bottomed boat reveals sea gardens as 
wonderful as those at Santa Catalina or any other part 
of the world. Coral branches frame the picture and 



320 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

form the background, while sponges grow among the 
plants. One can feast his eyes on lilac and yellow sea- 
fans and waving royal purple sea-feathers. In places 
they form a veritable forest of wavy plumes of many 
tints which sway in the moving currents like branches of 
trees in a summer wind. 

Brightly-hued fish of many sizes and shapes, which 
seem to have absorbed their colors from the sky and the 
water, gracefully float in and out, adding new beauty and 
charm to the scene. Some of them seem to have taken 
their color from their environment. There are iridescent 
angel fish, and there ar.e parrot fish in changing blues and 
greens, with eyes so much like parrots that they seem to 
be saying " Pretty Polly," or imploring " Polly wants a 
cracker." These birds of the sea are among the most 
conspicuous dwellers in these tropical waters. In color 
they suggest somewhat the gaudy macaw, encased in huge 
scales rather than feathers. Other fish may boast more 
tints, but none are more beautiful or make a more vivid 
impression than this sea parrot. Body, fins, tail and iris 
are a rich and radiant hue ranging from greenish blue to 
purple with, in places, a touch of rouge. There are sev- 
eral species of the angel fishes, some of them being garbed 
in colors so brilliant as to be almost startHng. The yel- 
low angel fish has brilliant yellow margins to its scales, 
and the fins on its back look almost like " plumes." With 
its curious face, its bright colors and waving " plumes," 
it makes a charming object in the gardens of the sea. A 
devil fish is not rare, and it, as well as the inkfish, floats 
leisurely along in constant search for food. Great crabs 
with gigantic feelers move awkwardly about, and there 
is endless variety of life and motion. At night the dip- 
ping oar stirs up a beautiful phosphorescence, until the 
spray seems illuminated by this peculiar form of minute 



The Keys 321 



life. One can sometimes even follow the course of fish 
by the streak of light that mark their progress. 

Some of the keys are so minute that a boy could throw 
his ball from shore to shore. An expert pole-vaulter 
might almost cover the intervening distance in a few in- 
stances. Key Largo is the largest, and it has some 
goodly sized plantations of limes growing on it. The 
railroad runs through the jungle in the central part of 
the island and there are several stops at wayside stations. 
Jewfish is a settlement of a couple of houses, where there 
is a drawbridge of the railroad for the benefit of naviga- 
tion. A postoffice has been established here, so that Jew- 
fish has an official standing with our government. The 
oldest settlement was Planter, near Tavernier. At one 
time it had a flourishing fishing industry, but it was prac- 
tically destroyed a few years ago by a tropical hurricane. 
From Jewfish to Tavernier is fifteen miles. There are 
still extensive gardens and orchards around Planter of 
the lime, which is even more tender than the lemon tree, 
but it will grow on the thinnest and sandiest of soil, and 
the soil on these Keys is certainly thin enough. It does 
need an abundance of sunshine and cannot stand frost. 
The juice of the lime is considered even superior to that 
of the lemon, which it resembles, as its juice is strong in 
citric acid. There is always a large demand for the 
limes, which are grown in considerable numbers in the 
West Indies, but the cultivation here on this island of 
Key Largo is increasing year by year. The same care 
is being taken now as in the growth of the orange and 
grapefruit in the effort to produce the very best fruit 
possible. 

Plantation is a station upon the key of the same name, 
and the railroad there crosses to upper Metacumbe Key. 
Indian Key was the scene of the massacre of Dr. Perrine 



322 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

during the Seminole War. The railroad traverses Jew- 
fish Key and Long Key before reaching Grassy Key. 
Grassy Key is also a fairly good-sized island, and is 
higher above the water than most of its neighbors. Next 
comes Key Vaca, on which is Marathon, the largest town 
except Key West, for here the railroad shops are located. 
For several years the railroad ended at Knight's Key, 
where passengers were transferred to the steamers for 
Cuba. Several small keys are crossed before reaching 
West Summerfield Key. Then come Pine Key, Ramrod 
Key and Sugar Loaf Key among others before the jour- 
ney is ended at Key West. Several keys lie still farther 
west, and the series of islands end with the group of 
islands known as Dry Tortugas. On one of the islands 
of this group was old Fort Jefferson. 

Long Key is a delightful resting-place, covered as it is 
with the cocoanut palms. With these and the white cor- 
alline beach your mind recalls the atolls of the South 
Seas. It is the cocoanut palm that adds a touch of ro- 
mance, for the cocoanut is surely the adventurer of the 
seas. It is clad in a waterproof trunk which will safely 
protect the life germ wherever the waters may transport 
it. The storms separate the nut from the parent stem 
and toss it into the waiting waters, when the currents float 
it to distant shores. The breakers toss it up on the beach 
where, in its own good time, it germinates, and when 
once thoroughly rooted defies all but the fiercest hurri- 
cane. Here the cocoanuts uplift themselves in stately 
and swaying groups and in rows from Gulf to Atlantic. 
Their gray columns line the paths, and their swaying 
fronds cover them with shifting shadows as the wind 
blows them to and fro. The rich and nutritious nuts fall 
to the ground ready for your use. Nothing is more re- 
freshing on a sultry day than the water of a green cocoa- 





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The Keys 323 



nut, while the meat of the matured fruit is dehcious. 
The cocoanut trees have not the stateliness of the royal 
palm, but they have beauty and a touch of the romantic. 
One somehow associates them with buccaneers and wild 
sea-rovers, for the old lawless, sea-roving life of the 
Caribbean Sea seems to be intimately connected with 
them. 

Long Key is a noted fishing resort. Everybody is in- 
terested in that sport, and fishing and tackle are the lead- 
ing topics of conversation. In the evening the guests all 
gather down at the dock to inspect the catches as the 
boats pull in. Then stories of the day's experience are 
exchanged. One will find real sportsmen here whose 
talk is all of rods and tackle, and who would feel life vain 
unless they caught a larger tarpon or speared a larger tur- 
tle than the year before. No estimates are accepted here, 
for your fish are given the acid test upon the scales. All 
the fish are weighed as they are unloaded to see who has 
had the best catch for the day, and at night the largest 
catches and the name of the fisherman are posted on a 
bulletin board. If anyone has landed some unusually 
large fish he is sure to be obliged to relate the tale many 
times that night — and, of course, that is a terrible ordeal 
for the followers of Izaak Walton. 

Of eighty-nine tarpon caught here in a recent season, 
one-fourth weighed over a hundred pounds and a third 
tipped the scales at less than fifty. Almost a score of 
barracuda exceeded twenty-five pounds, with fifty pounds 
as the maximum. Forty-three sailfish were more than 
six feet in length, of which eighteen measured more than 
seven feet. The one hundred and thirty-two amber jack 
trophies ranged from twenty-five to ninety-five pounds. 
One jewfish required a four hundred pound weight to bal- 
ance the scales. Even if one does not angle, Long Key ia 



324 Florida: The Land of Ench antment 

a splendid place to rest and. relax. A day's sail out on the 
Gulf or Atlantic affords splendid diversion. One may 
witness a kingfish leap out of the sea when pursued by 
its enemies, or catch a glimpse of a giant turtle as it comes 
to the surface for air. Portuguese men-of-war, as the 
strange jelly-like little creatures are called, are not an 
uncommon sight, and at night phosphorescence will be 
seen playing on the crest of many a wave. Hermit crabs 
may be observed walking around, carrying their appro- 
priated houses on their backs, for a hermit crab will at- 
tach itself to any kind of a shell into which it can with- 
draw itself. It is most interesting to watch one, and then 
disturb it occasionally to see it retire from sight as 
much as it can. It will not be more than a minute un- 
til the hermit will again continue its interrupted jour- 
ney. 

The delights of the days spent down on the Keys are 
almost beyond description. Whether one makes a great 
catch of fish or not, there is a charm in the air and a 
beauty of the surroundings that baffles the pen. The 
effect of blue sky and floating clouds, with a setting that 
ever changes, and the mystery of the seas enchant the 
lover of nature, until he is loath to leave. Audubon, the 
famous naturalist, yielded to the seduction of the Keys 
and describes a sunset, as follows: "If you have never 
seen the sun setting in those latitudes, I would recom- 
mend you to make a voyage for the purpose, for I much 
doubt if, in any other portion of the world, the departure 
of the orb of day is accompanied with such gorgeous ap- 
pearances. Look at the great red disc, increased to triple 
its ordinary dimensions. Now it has partially sunk be- 
neath the distant line of waters, and with its still remain- 
ing half irradiates the whole heavens with a flood of light, 
purpling the far-off clouds that hover over the western 



The Keys 325 



horizon. A blaze of refulgent glory streams through the 
portals of the west, and the masses of vapour assume 
the semblance of mountains of molten gold." 

On a speck of a reef, far out in the midst of a tropical 
sea, lies the city of Key West. Much nearer to the coast 
of Cuba than to any port of its own country, it has long 
been the most remote and most incongruous city within 
these United States. Until the opening of the railroad, 
of which it is the terminus, the nearest port was Tampa, 
two hundred and fifty miles away by sea. Key West is 
more than five hundred miles from Jacksonville, which 
affords a little idea of the length of the state. The island 
bears the same name as the town, and it is seven miles in 
length. The Spanish name for the island was Cayo 
Huesco, and it is supposed that the English name is a cor- 
ruption of this designation. The name meant Bone 
Island, and was bestowed upon it because a number 
of human bones were found there by the Spaniards. 
Whether these were the remains of the victims of pirates 
or Caribbean cannibals is unknown. 

The only inhabitants found there when the United 
States took possession were some Bahamans and other 
islanders, who lived by sponging and fishing and wreck- 
ing. In the last pursuit they were very skilled, and the 
question of ownership never bothered these " Conches," 
as they were termed. A few gained considerable wealth 
from treasure ships that were wrecked on these shores. 
The many reefs in the neighborhood made navigation 
extremely dangerous in those days when the storms swept 
down, for the waters were not charted so well as they 
are today. There were wreckers also who lived on other 
keys and even down on the keys of the Tortugas group. 
Audubon mentions his experiences with the wreckers 
there, and speaks enthusiastically of the courtesies which 



326 Florida; The Land of Enchantment 

he received from them. They were a jolly lot, says he, 
and were equipped with splendid boats for their work. 

"Key Tavernier's our rendezvous, 

At anchor there we lie; 
And see the vessels in the Gulf 

Carelessly passing by. 
When night comes on we dance and sing 
Whilst the current some vessel is floating in; 
When daylight comes, a ship's on shore, 
Among the rocks where the breakers roar." 

Key West began to grow and prosper soon after the 
Civil War when a number of Cuban refugees established 
themselves here, being driven from Cuba by revolution- 
ary disturbances. By them the cigar industry was es- 
tablished, and the fame of Key West cigars has been 
growing ever since that day. To meet the increased com- 
merce the port facilities have been gradually expanded, 
while docks and wharves have arisen as necessity de- 
manded. The terminal improvements of the railroad 
greatly increased the shipping facilities. The govern- 
ment has established an extensive naval base, with coal 
deposits and a distilling plant for supplying fresh water. 
There is also an army and marine post in another sec- 
tion of the city. The mouth of the harbor is guarded 
by Fort Taylor, which is equipped with modern guns. 
There is no public supply of water, but the demand is 
supplied by a few scattered wells and cisterns of rain 
water. The rest is brought in from the mainland by 
train. The long trains of tank cars which bring water 
for the several keys form a picturesque sight when cross- 
ing the concrete viaducts. 

It cannot be asserted that Key West is a beautiful city, 
but it is quaint and interesting. The highest point is 
only about a dozen feet above sea level, and one feels that 



Entrance to S aval Station, Key West. 




^»^-''.^_|!;^'®-<. 




-\' 




■if 




h^ 




The Keys 327 



a sea wall such as Galveston built would be a splendid 
thing. There is no public sewer system, but the prevail- 
ing trade winds contribute to the healthfulness of the city, 
so that the health conditions will compare favorably with 
other municipalities. Although only three-score miles 
from the tropics, the climate is as comfortable as many 
other places hundreds of miles distant. The houses are 
generally constructed of wood, and are of indifferent ar- 
chitecture, but the many verandas and balconies, after the 
Spanish fashion, add to their cheerfulness. They are of 
all sizes and every conceivable style, or no style of archi- 
tecture. They are promiscuously jumbled together, thus 
creating an endless comparison of mansions, huts and 
hovels, balconies, canopies and porches, gables, hoods and 
pavilions, pillars, columns and pilasters. Beautiful flow- 
ers and blossoming trees will be seen everywhere, and 
they brighten up what might otherwise be a rather pro- 
saic environment. 

Spanish will be heard on the streets of Key West more 
than English, and Spanish names will be noticed above 
many of the stores. It is not a difficult matter to pick 
these aliens on the street, for they are much smaller and 
generally darker than the Americans. These Spanish- 
speaking inhabitants are Cubans and they have come over 
here to work in the cigar factories, where more than one 
hundred and fifty million cigars are produced annually. 
Although the younger ones have been bom in this coun- 
try, they continue to speak their native tongue except 
when English becomes necessary. One will also find for- 
eigners of a number of other nationalities dwelling here 
and generally engaged in business of some sort. There 
is a large negro population in this city, who occupy a 
section by themselves. 

The fish v^harves are fascinating places to visit, for 



328 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

many curious fish will be seen here on any day. At the 
fish market they are sold alive, being kept in boxes which 
are submerged in the water. When a purchaser makes 
his selection the fish is skillfully netted and immediately 
prepared for the frying-pan by the merchant. The 
bright colors of some of these will astonish one who is not 
accustomed to the fish of tropical waters. Pompano and 
mackerel are marketed here, and kingfish are brought in 
by the boatload. 

Adjoining the fish dock is the turtle dock, where great 
green and loggerhead turtles will be seen awaiting the 
butcher or shipment. Those weighing as much as two 
or three hundred pounds are not uncommon, and larger 
ones are sometimes sold. It is claimed that some of the 
largest turtles are several hundred years old. They swim 
around restlessly, coming up to the surface every few 
minutes for air, which they inhale with a sound like a 
huge sigh. When brought out they are turned over on 
their backs and their flappers tied, and they are shipped in 
this condition. The green turtles are perfectly harmless 
and never attempt to snap the person handling or about 
to slaughter them. One cannot help but feel pity for 
these great helpless sea " critters," who were formerly so 
happy and carefree when allowed to swim about in the 
boundless sea. But the unceasing demand for turtle soup 
and turtle steak from our cities has worked their undoing. 
Great loggerhead turtles are also brought here, but not 
in such great numbers as the green turtle. 

One of the favorite fishing grounds for the sea turtles 
is the Dry Tortugas group of islands. On these low and 
sandy islands the turtles lay their eggs and are easily 
caught at that season, which is generally during May and 
June. Were it not for enemies, human and otherwise, 
the increase of turtles would be phenomenal. A single 



The Keys 329 



female will deposit from two to five hundred eggs in a 
season, although not all at one time. They are depos- 
ited in regular layers in excavations made with the flap- 
pers in the sand. After this has been done the loose sand 
is scraped back over the eggs and the care of the mother 
is then at an end. So carefully is the work done that the 
nests are difficult of discovery. As soon as the young are 
hatched, and scarcely larger than a silver dollar, they 
scratch their way through the sand and immediately be- 
take themselves to the water. The turtlers become very 
much interested in their work and claim that there is 
much fascination in it. It is not an easy task to land a 
monstrous turtle weighing five hundred pounds or more. 

Adjoining the turtle dock is the sponge wharf, where 
all the sponges are landed and on which the auctions take 
place. During my visit all those connected with the 
sponge industry were complaining of the small catches 
brought in, and the amount sold during my stay was very 
small. The piratical habits of the Greek spongers are 
blamed to a great extent for this condition. At present 
there are no Greek spongers operating from Key West, 
as they were driven away from there, but they control 
the industry at Tarpon Springs and practically the entire 
West Coast, except in the vicinity of the Keys. Serious 
and even fatal clashes have taken place between the rival 
races engaged in the sponge fishing. 

Farming the seas may seem like a curious expression, 
and yet it is absolutely true when applied to the oyster 
and the sponge cultivation. The sponge industry is not 
so extensive, and yet it is far more important in the world 
economy than one unfamiliar with it would imagine. 
The paternal interest of Uncle Sam in seeing that our 
table is kept supplied with oysters and lobsters is now 
being extended to that indispensable adjunct of the mod- 



330 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

ern bathroom — the sponge. The production of the 
American waters now greatly surpasses that of the Med- 
iterranean, where they were first found. The center of 
the industry is the coast of Florida and at Batabano, 
Cuba. If all the sponges gathered in the Americas in a 
single year were placed in one body of water they would 
absorb seven million gallons of water. As each pound of 
marketable sponge is capable of absorbing fourteen pints 
of water this means that four million pounds of sponge 
were fished from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and 
the Caribbean Sea, in the vicinity of the West Indies. 

Very little is known about the sponge, or how it feeds 
— but it has been demonstrated that it will not thrive in 
fresh water. It is an animal of uniform structure, or a 
combination of the animal and vegetable, although vary- 
ing greatly in appearance. All over the outer surface are 
minute openings, or canals, through which the water en- 
ters the mass of the structure. In this are little chambers 
where the water collects and the nutriment is extracted 
from it. Then it is forced out through the outflowing 
canals. One who has never seen a sponge, except in the 
stores, would not recognize the black and slimy creature 
that is brought to the surface by the sponge-fishers. It 
is filled with water and animal matter, called " gurry," 
and it requires several days for this " gurry " to run off. 
The sponge used is simply the supporting framework of 
the tissue of the living sponge. The so-called roots at- 
tached to it have nothing to do with its life, but they sim- 
ply furnish an anchorage. 

Fishing for sponges would probably not satisfy the 
longings of a boy who starts with a fishing-pole over his 
shoulders. He wants a live and wiggling creature se- 
curely fastened on his hook or bent pin. Nevertheless 
the angling for sponges is an interesting process. In the 



The Keys 331 



olden days this was done in shallow waters — as it is still 
in Cuba — by simply wading in and pulling up the growth 
by hand. Then came the sponge hook with its two tines, 
which were thrust through the growth and by this means 
the sponge was torn loose from its moorings. With the 
hook deeper waters were fished than was possible before. 
The fisherman would stand in his boat, closely scanning 
the bottom until a sponge was discovered. Then a water 
telescope, which consisted simply of a tube three or four 
feet long with a plain glass bottom, was introduced as a 
further aid. With this it is possible to see clearly the 
bottom of the sea at a depth of fifty feet, as the glass 
lessens the refraction. This outfit required two men 
in a boat — one to propel the craft, and another to look 
through the " telescope " and gather the sponges. These 
little crafts would go out to sea for many miles on their 
expeditions. 

The sponge fishing today is generally done on a larger 
scale. When a sponging ground is reached, the men 
scatter about in small boats, two men going in each as a 
crew to engage in the work. The hooker has the hardest 
task, and the success of the work depends largely upon his 
vigilance and skill. It is tiresome to look through the 
glass-bottomed bucket for long, but it is absolutely neces- 
sary. When a sponge is sighted he directs the sculler 
how to maneuver the boat, and then with one hand low- 
ers the pole with its hooks. Skill must be used in tear- 
ing the sponge loose, for mutilation lessens its value in 
the market. The growth sometimes adheres so tightly 
that it requires the efforts of both men to detach it; 
even then a part is usually left. Fifty feet of water 
makes difficult fishing, owing to the increased weight of 
the handle. 

In the present day diving has been largely introduced 



332 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

in sponge harvesting. This method is followed both in 
the Mediterranean and in America, and it has been found 
eminently successful. It requires a much more expen- 
sive equipment, and the cost of its operation is consider- 
ably greater. The crew generally consists of eight men, 
two divers who alternate, three oarsmen, two pump men 
for the air apparatus and one general utility man. But 
the yield per man is generally much larger. It can be 
carried on at greater depths, and in much rougher waters. 
The diver carries with him a mesh bag into which his 
catch is thrust and hauled to the surface when filled. 
The greatest danger to the diver is from sharks, for the 
sponging waters are infested with the man-eating shark. 
The safety of the diver rests on his remaining absolutely 
still, as the shark will not attack anything it thinks is 
dead. 

The curing process for sponges begins as soon as they 
are brought to shore. They are first placed in pans in 
shallow water for several days, while the animal matter 
decomposes, and the flowing waters of the tides wash 
them. They are next squeezed and beaten to rid them 
of all living matter. They are dried and afterwards 
cleaned by hand, sorted according to variety and size, and 
arranged in piles for the inspection of the buyer. They 
are generally sold to the highest bidder by the pile, and 
the buyers then forward them to their warehouses. 
Here all foreign matter is clipped off, and they are 
worked into neat shapes. It requires a good deal of 
skill to do this work with the least amount of waste. 
Then comes the final assorting into sizes, after which 
they are pressed into bales and wrapped with burlap. As 
they are packed practically dry, this accounts for the 
smallness of a sponge which will expand to several times 
its original size when placed in water. To prevent exter- 



The Keys 333 



mination the United States government has limited the 
fishing season with divers, and has attempted with consid- 
erable success the propagation of the sponge by placing 
cuttings in new waters. A living sponge is cut into sec- 
tions an inch or two square, for these contain all the 
elements necessary for growth. These cuttings are at- 
tached to stakes by wires, and they grow rapidly. By 
this method a rootless sponge has been developed, and 
the root is the least valuable part. 

The largest experiment farm in the cultivation of 
sponges is at Sugar Loaf Sound, a protected body of 
water about sixteen miles from Key West. This farm 
is the outgrowth of experiments made by a member of 
the government bureau. Quite a live town has grown 
up here, called Chase, after the man who has charge of 
this sponge farm. Here will be found residences, office 
buildings, telephone lines, refrigerating plant, and the 
many accessories for harvesting and preparing the 
sponges for market. It has been demonstrated that the 
sponge produces eggs which will reproduce an embryo 
sponge, but the cuttings are preferred for propagation. 
These are either placed on wires or discs, for the varying 
methods will produce sponges of different shapes. The 
disc can be raised and the sponge removed without any 
injury whatever to the structure, which is a great advan- 
tage. The water here seems to be unusually well adapted 
for sponge growth. It has been found that sponges grow 
quite rapidly, and a six-inch sponge will develop in from 
two to four years. 



CHAPTER XVIII 

FISH AND FISHING 

Fishing is so closely associated with Florida life that 
the subject cannot be overlooked in a work descriptive of 
that state. Most visitors to Florida do essay to fish a 
little for diversion, while others follow it as an occupa- 
tion. He who does not attempt it at all certainly makes 
a mistake and misses the opportunity offered everywhere 
for real sport. The person who said " he would rather 
live five Mays than forty Decembers " would be right at 
home down here, for there is fishing every day in the 
year. With all its advantages of fresh water fishing, the 
greatest sport offered is that of angling in the great ocean 
itself, where there is always the chance of impaling one 
of the monsters of the deep on your hook. 

It has been stated in all seriousness that a fish must be 
buncoed in order to be caught, and the saying is probably 
true. At any rate much of the bait used in deep sea fish- 
ing is some form of deceit for the unreasoning fish. The 
spoon, which is so common, is just one of those forms of 
bunco, and the fly is another. At times nothing seems to 
suit the fancy of the aesthetic finny tribe. You can place 
the choicest bait so that he can reach it without moving a 
fin and he will cast it aside with a contemptuous flip of his 
tail. Anyone will tell you the best time to fish, but each 
one has a different idea. It is safe to say that the best 
time to fish in Fliroda waters is when they will bite. The 
fact is that the Florida fish " at times require more coax- 
ing than a balky horse, at others you can't keep them 

334 



Fish and Fishing 335 

away with a club." As an old saying puts it: " If they 
will, they will, you may depend on't. And if they won't, 
they won't, and there's the end on't." 

Some fish are very particular about their diet and will 
not taste meat with blood in it. They will eat the mus- 
sels or Crustacea. One of these is the sluggish sheeps- 
head, which is found almost everywhere along the Flor- 
ida coast. The most common one is striped like a con- 
vict's suit. It is an easy matter to collect a lot of the 
fiddler crabs, for they will be found in well-organized 
little armies. Their armies are organized only for re- 
treat, however, and not for offensive operations. When 
once corralled, an army of these curious little crabs can 
be scooped up, and in a few minutes the fisherman will 
have a gallon or five gallons of restless little creatures. 
It takes some nerve for the inexperienced person to reach 
his hand down in the struggling mess, for fear of a pinch, 
but experience inspires confidence, for the pinch of the 
one claw folded over his back is not so terribly severe. A 
sand crab is a little different. A good way to catch him 
is to locate his hole, then stick your finger in until he takes 
hold with his biggest claw. You will know when you 
have a pinch, but you can pull out your catch and get 
even with him by putting him on your hook to lure a 
fish. The chances are, however, that you will ask your 
boatman to do the trick the next time. 

There is a thrill to deep sea fishing as well as a fas- 
cination that is almost irresistible. You may have caught 
pickerel up in Maine, bass in the St. Lawrence, trout in 
the Rockies, or salmon out in Oregon, — all of which 
are great sport. After a few thrills of deep sea fishing, 
however, the former seems tame — at least for a time. 
The other may require more science, at least when using 
light tackle, but the excitement of landing a big fifty- 



336 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

pound fish, which literally thrashes and churns the water 
into foam, is almost beyond description. Even in deep 
sea fishing it is well to follow the motto displayed at the 
Long Key Fishing Camp : " Good sportsmanship does 
not consist in a big catch but in the use of a light tackle 
and a reasonable catch. Play your fish instead of gaf- 
fing him." Deep sea fishing is done almost entirely by 
trolling. You may wonder how a fish is going to travel 
fast enough to catch up with your light-powered motor 
boat and fasten itself on your hook, but you discover 
when the fishing grounds are reached that your speed is 
reduced to three or four miles an hour, and it is a badly 
crippled fish that cannot swim that fast. Then you begin 
to wonder how you will know when you have a " strike," 
and question your boatman about it, but you will not be 
left in doubt long upon that, score. As soon as the warn- 
ing cry of " strike " is heard, the skipper stops the boat 
in order to afford you a chance to land your quarry. If 
your fish decides to pull out a few hundred feet of your 
line, in his effort to entertain you, do not endeavor in 
your excitement to check it with* your thumb, when a 
good leather drag is provided. I tried it once, and had 
a goc/d sore- finger for* a few days as a reminder of my 
folly. 

Fish ? They are everywhere. At times the mile wide 
Boca Grande pass will be actually black with minnows. 
The surface will be in a turmoil, caused by the countless 
jack fish chasing the minnows, while scores of tarpon will 
be in the air pursuing both minnows and jack fish. The 
water appears almost like buttermilk, as it is churned 
by millions of mullet, catfish, channel bass and mackerel. 
It seethes and boils as the small fish dart here and there 
in pursuit of their prey, or to escape being the prey of 
other fish still larger. The big black dorsal fin of a 



Pish and Fishing 337 

shark may show above the water, as its owner goes after 
a meal in a business-hke way. 

The element of luck enters into fishing in Florida just 
as elsewhere. There are no definite pools out on the 
great ocean, such as are found in trout streams, where 
you are sure to find some fish, but you take the angler's 
chance. You usually make a good catch where the best 
fisherman told you there was absolutely no chance. You 
may fish by the side of a companion who catches all the 
fish, although your rods and bait are identical. Your 
companion may be absolutely inexperienced and you are 
almost a professional, and yet he catches three splendid 
fish to your one. You may watch for a strike until, 
tired and disgusted, you almost fall asleep. Suddenly 
you feel your line going and you pull out a thirty or 
forty pound denizen of the deep. And so it goes. The 
element of what we call luck certainly does enter into the 
problem of deep sea fishing. When the fish refuses to 
bite, the deep blue ocean itself, with its many moods and 
with the shadow of clouds upon its surface, provides a 
compensation. If near the shore, there is low murmur- 
ing of the sea which increases as some great roller ap- 
proaches, until it bursts with a thundering crash all along 
the line. The true fisherman will always acquire some 
new delight in an added appreciation of life and nature. 
At times the sea is almost glass like, and the water is so 
clear that every object on the bottom can be plainly seen. 

" The beauty of fishing in Florida waters," said a fish- 
erman to me, " is the uncertainty of what your catch will 
be." When you have a strike and your line is run out 
a couple of hundred feet, you never know just what is 
attached to the other end of the tackle. Your mind is 
in a great excitement, and your curiosity will not be 
satisfied until your trophy is brought to the surface ready 



338 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

to be pulled into the boat. When the water is clear 
you may see your victim fifteen or twenty feet away, 
dashing here and there and varying his shape and color. 
Of course, if it should happen to be a gigantic jewfish, 
weighing three or four hundred pounds, you would soon 
know that something very unusual had happened. This 
fish occasionally attains a weight of one thousand pounds, 
and is found all the way from the Biscayne Bay country 
to Charlotte Harbor. 

Perhaps the easiest fishing is to encounter a school of 
Spanish mackerel. They may be seen swimming by and 
throwing the water into great agitation, as they pursue a 
frightened school of mullet and devour them by the 
wholesale. At such a time you can lure them with almost 
any old bait. Cast whatever you will in their midst, and 
you may feel assured that several of these shining beau- 
ties will grab for it. You may then be sure of a meal, 
providing that its sharp teeth do not separate your line. 
But you do not always get the fish, or all the fish that 
you get on your hook. A barracuda may have been 
hungry and bit it in two. When you see the formid- 
able creature, you will readily understand how it can 
accomplish such a trick. I had a strike one day, and 
for a time was undecided whether I had impaled a big 
fish or a little one. At times it would reel in easy, and 
then there would be a heavy tug which would start my 
reel humming. I pulled in a four-pound mackerel, but 
it was half bitten in two by sharp teeth, which looked 
very much like the trademark of a barracuda. One 
gentleman brought out half a tarpon, the other half hav- 
ing been severed by a shark. The remnant left weighed 
one hundred fifty-six and a half pounds, somewhat of a 
fish in itself, even if incomplete. 

" It is possible that the great splashing you witnessed 




TWO MONSTERS OF THE DEEP CAUGHT IN FLORIDA \\ATERS. 



Fish and Fishing 339 

is caused by a lively bunch of cavallies. If so, you will 
be just as lucky, for they will also bite at almost anything. 
There is a curious " lucky bone " that may be cut from 
the base of the dorsal fin, which is sure to bring you 
good fortune. You may catch the curious porcupine- 
fish, which inflates itself with air on rsaching the surface 
and sails along on the water like a balloon. The sea 
trout is a spotted beauty with sides shading into phos- 
phor-bronze. He favors mullet for bait, and is a pretty 
good fighter for a fish that seldom exceeds six pounds. 
For eating this trout is sweet and finely flavored. The 
gruper is a fish worth catching, because of his size, but, 
with all his zebra-like markings, it is not very gamy, al- 
though I have occasionally landed specimens that gave a 
pretty good fight. A gruper weighing twenty-five or 
thirty- five pounds is quite a satisfying catch for the nov- 
ice at sea angling, and it will furnish the background 
for a fish story that will last for many months. It is 
allied to the cod. As a food fish it is the cod's equal, and 
from a sportsman's standpoint is far superior. The 
grupers will be found all along the Atlantic and Gulf 
coast, but they are especially plentiful around the Keys. 
There are several species of the gruper. The red gruper 
is a large and ungainly fish that reaches up to seventy 
pounds in weight. Its natural habitat is deep water, but 
at certain seasons it comes up on the reefs. If the right 
place is found, excellent sport may be enjoyed. They 
vary greatly in their sporting qualities, for some seem so 
much more sluggish than others. The white gruper, 
which varies from a pale grey to a light olive green, is 
a most beautiful fish, and the spotted gruper is another 
species. The largest species is the black gruper, which 
attains a weight of several hundred pounds. The mutton 
fish is so named because its head has a fancied resem- 



340 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

blance to a sheep. It is prettily colored, about the size 
of the gruper, and makes a very lively fight for its 
liberty. 

The various members of the snapper family afford 
splendid sport, for they are all gamy. Small snappers 
anywhere from two to six pounds are found in the shal- 
low waters. The larger ones seek depressions in the 
Gulf bottom that range in depth from one to two hun- 
dred feet. These are the snapper " banks," known to 
professional fisherman, and they are found all around 
the Gulf coast even to Yucatan. Of the snapper family, 
the gray snapper is the rarest and the gamiest. It is 
found along some of the Keys. It is difficult to lure 
and furnishes a splendid fight when once safely fastened 
on a hook. The barracuda is found in great numbers 
along and around the Keys. It is usually a solitary crea- 
ture and does not travel in schools. An uglier and a 
fiercer fish it would be hard to find, and it steals upon its 
prey in a wolf -like fashion. At first glance you might 
take it for a muskallunge, the game fish of our northern 
lakes, for it is long and slender and somewhat resembles 
a pike. The mouth is wide and the lower jaw is slightly 
protruded. With a large barracuda of six or seven feet, 
and weighing sixty pounds on your hook, you have a 
game fight before you. It never gives up until abso- 
lutely exhausted, and then usually has enough strength 
left for an impetuous rush when the boat is neared. 

The kingfish, which belongs to the mackerel family, is 
one of the beauties of the seas. When pulled out of the 
water his shining silvery scales have all the richness of 
color of the mother of pearl shell. When caught, it 
plays upon the surface. If captured with light tackle, as 
it should be, it will dash here and there and circle around 
the boat, bending the rod to the danger point. Ever and 



Fish and Fishing 341 

anon it will rise in the air in splendid loops, flashing 
silvery against the deep blue of the tropical sea. When 
hungry it is not particular as to bait, and will bite at a rag 
about as quick as a choice piece of mullet. Large speci- 
mens, five or six feet long, are sometimes caught, but a 
three- or four-footer is far more common. The kingfish 
sometimes move in such immense schools that the ocean 
will seem to be fairly boiling over a patch several acres 
in area. Even after hunger has been satisfied, they seem 
to continue the slaughter of smaller fish simply for the 
sake of killing. The Spanish mackerel is a sporty fish, 
but its movements and habits are very erratic. It is like- 
wise a beautiful fish when first landed. The upper por- 
tion is a deep steely blue and the lower part is silver, and 
over all is a delicate tinge of pink. There are many col- 
ored spots on the sides, while the fins are tinted with 
white, black and yellow. It is indeed a gorgeous rai- 
ment. 

The lady-fish will perform evolutions that would cause 
even the tarpon to blush with envy. It will jump more 
quickly and very much higher in proportion to its size 
than any other fish, and makes a notable fight for its lib- 
erty. " Compared with it even the tarpon is sluggish, 
and trout, bass and salmon little livelier than mud pup- 
pies. Your reel will buzz an octave higher than you ever 
heard it, and your fingers will be blistered wherever they 
touched the line." It is a beautiful fish and most people 
release it immediately, because it is a little too bony to be 
eaten with comfort. The agile bonefish, which most 
fishermen try in vain to capture, will weigh from five to 
twelve pounds. It is a clear pearly white and is consid- 
ered a beauty. The dolphin fish is another harlequin of 
the sea. It is also one of the most beautiful of the game 
fishes. It is almost impossible to describe its flashes of 



342 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

color and gorgeous changes in tint and shades of blue, 
red, yellow, violet, black and white. Its most marked 
ornamentation is a series of vivid blotches of labradorite 
blue. Its fins are also splashed with blue, and it has a 
yellow tail. It is certainly a radiant creation, and the 
fisherman is proud of such a catch three or four feet long. 
It makes a beautiful wall ornament when well mounted, 
although the colors lose some of their brilliance. A poet 
has said 

" A shoal of dolphins, trembling in wild glee, 
Glowed with such orient tints, they might have been 
The rainbow's offspring, where it met the ocean." 

Of these dolphins along the Florida coast, Audubon, 
in his journal, says: " Dolphins move in shoals varying 
from four or five to twenty or more, hunting in packs 
in the waters as wolves pursue their prey on land. The 
object of their pursuit is generally the flying-fish, now 
and then the bonita ; and when nothing better can be had 
they will follow the little rudder-fish and seize it imme- 
diately under the stern of the ship. The flying-fishes, 
after having escaped for awhile by dint of their great 
velocity, on being again approached by the dolphins, 
emerge from the water, and spreading their broad wing- 
like fins, sail through the air and disperse in all directions, 
like a covey of timid partridges before the rapacious 
falcon . . . While they are traveling in the air their 
keen and hungry pursuer, like a greyhound, follows in 
their wake, and performing a succession of leaps many 
feet in extent, rapidly gains upon the quarry, which is 
often seized just as it falls into the sea. Dolphins mani- 
fest a very remarkable sympathy with each other. The 
moment one of them is hooked or grained, as sailors 
technically name their manner of harpooning, those in 



Fish and Fishing 343 

company make up to it and remain around until the un- 
fortunate fish is pulled on board, when they generally 
move off together, seldom biting at anything thrown out 
to them." 

Of the fishes that live upon mollusks and crustaceans, 
one of the most common is the sheepshead. This fish 
feeds upon young oysters, cockles and crabs of various 
kinds. It is ornamented with six or seven vertical stripes 
across the body which render it very conspicuous, and 
cause it to resemble greatly a convict in his official uni- 
form. It frequents rocky shores, piers and old wrecks, 
and you will find the winter visitor in the resort towns 
fishing for the sheepshead among the piers on the docks. 
They seldom emerge from the shelter of the wrecks or 
piers, for food is plentiful there. The piles are covered 
with the oysters awaiting them. The most common bait 
used for them is the fiddler crab for, if a fiddler com- 
munity is in the neighborhood, it furnishes the best kind 
of bait and is the most easily obtainable. Although 
most of the fishes snared are much smaller, many speci- 
mens weigh from seven to twelve pounds, and sheeps- 
head of eighteen pounds are occasionally taken. 

The drum is also a fish which lives upon the same kind 
of food as the sheepshead. It is one of the most de- 
structive enemies to the oyster men, for the drum travels 
in large schools and several hundred of them can do an 
almost inconceivable amount of damage to an oyster bed. 
It is quite a gamey fish, and individuals are landed 
weighing as much as seventy pounds, although the aver- 
age catch will be from fifteen to twenty-five pounds. If 
taken with light tackle, such as is used in fishing for bass, 
a drum of this size will provide good sport for the 
angler. The drum received its name from the sound 
which it utters, which is almost like a " muffied drum." 



344 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

There are not many fish that utter sounds, but the drum 
is well named for it grunts and groans in a most despair- 
ing way when caught. A very common fish is the one 
known as the grunt. It receives its name also because 
it grunts almost like a young pig as soon as landed out 
of the water. The fiddler crab also furnishes an excel- 
lent lure for the channel bass, one of the most beautiful 
fish caught along the Florida coast. It has many names, 
one of the commonest being the redfish, because of its 
color. It is one of the most attractive of the common 
fishes, and is captured in great numbers at the mouth of 
the St. John's River, the Indian River, the Caloosahatchee 
River, and in Charlotte Harbor, and, in fact, almost 
everywhere. When drawn out of the water its burnished 
sides flash in the sunlight, and a red golden iridescence 
seems to arise from it. Channel bass are pulled up 
weighing from fifty to sixty pounds, and even larger, but 
the average size taken from the rivers of Florida is 
from twenty-five to thirty pounds. 

One of the fishes found in countless numbers along the 
Florida coast is known as the jack. Like some other 
fishes, it changes its name with the location. In some 
places it is known simply as the jack and in others as 
the cavally and elsewhere as the horse crevalle. The 
best fishing ground for the jack is on the western coast. 
It is a gamey little fellow, and adds much to the pleas- 
ure of the anglers along this coast. The jack travel in 
immensely large schools, a description of which by a 
sporting writer gives a slight idea of the wonderful fish 
life in Florida in Florida waters. 

" Here and there the knifelike fin of some vagrant 
shark cut the water, or a bullfish went ricochetting along, 
the only disturbing elements; yet near the shore-line of^ 
a long attenuated key of white sand, the waters were 



Fish and Fishing 345 

beaten into foam amid which scores of bodies were leap- 
ing. It was the jack, or cavally, the horse crevalle, as 
it is known from Cuba to the CaroHnas and beyond, and 
the roar was made by a large school fiercely charging 
the ranks of a school of sardines, to capture which they 
sprang into the air, surged along the surface, all the 
while beating the water with their tails, creating a loud 
and peculiar sound called by my boatmen, * beating ' — 
a term which was well applied. With lusty strokes, 
Chief now sent the dinghy flying ahead, and in a few 
moments forced her into the midst of the wildest and 
most remarkable commotion I had ever witnessed. The 
fishes had moved inshore, and for two or three acres 
changed the water into a foaming sea. They were in 
the air by hundreds, their silvery sides glistening in the 
sunlight, their fins flashing golden yellow. A most ex- 
hilarating spectacle. I sprang overboard knee-deep into 
the throng, and found that the sardines formed an al- 
most solid mass two feet or more wide directly along 
shore, with stragglers forming a dark streak for five 
feet out. Into this helpless cordon the jacks were plung- 
ing, maddened with excitement, long ago satisfied, and 
now killing in wanton sport, for the mere lust of kill- 
ing, filling the water with silvery bodies and their parts 
until a line of blood marked the melee. I was repeatedly 
nearly overthrown by being struck by them, and finally 
made my way to the beach to watch this remarkable 
scene of carnage, to revel in which, gulls, pelicans, and 
man-of-war birds were now gathering from all over the 
reef. For ten or fifteen minutes the extraordinary 
spectacle was continued until the low beach was lined 
with jacks, dead and dying; then the school drew off as 
suddenly as it had appeared, leaving the long, sinuous 
red stain to tell the story." 



346 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

The amberjack is a fish that furnishes a good deal of 
sport for the deap sea angler, and it grows to a goodly 
size. When a fifty or seventy-five pound amberjack 
grabs your hook and heads for deep water, you have a 
task on your hands to bring such an unwilling and ani- 
mated piece of fish flesh to you. The chances are that 
you hope the next one will be a little bit smaller. As 
your reel springs around, you spring to your feet and 
place the butt of your rod firmly in the leather socket 
around your waist. After a hundred or two feet of line 
have slipped away, you press the thumb brake a little 
harder to halt the mad race of your quarry. If the 
water is deep, the amberjack will be sure to strike for 
the bottom and sulk and, if it is shallow, he will dash 
away again. As you reel in you can see your game rac- 
ing around the boat, for it never really surrenders until 
in the boat. Even then it will have a few vicious lunges 
left, if it has not been stunned by a blow on the head. 
The chances are that your arm and fingers will ache 
after a hard half hour's contest with the amberjack. It 
is a nicely proportioned fish, and appears like a sort of 
giant bluefish. It is especially plentiful around the Keys 
and up the east coast as far as Palm Beach. 

Many people will spend day after day seeking the 
sailfish, which makes a very pretty wall ornament when 
nicely mounted on a board. It is also a large fish and 
furnishes splendid sport for the anglers. It receives its 
name from the large dorsal fin, which is richly colored 
and raised high above the surface, resembling somewhat 
the sail of a Venetian craft with designs painted on the 
canvas. Those caught at Long Key, Miami and Palm 
Beach vary in weight from about twenty to almost one 
hundred pounds. It weighs less for its length than many 
others, The record length of this fish is eight feet and 



Fish and Fishing 347 

four inches. The big jewfish will occasionally be 
hooked. It is seldom caught under one hundred pounds, 
and from that size runs up the scales to five hundred 
pounds avoirdupois. 

One of the rather rare game fishes, but one which 
tests the angler's mettle, is the cobia, also known as the 
snook or Serjeant fish. When hooked it leaps above the 
surface of the water and generally plays near the sur- 
face, so that you can see his dark body darting here and 
there in his frantic efforts for freedom. I captured one 
that weighed fifty-eight pounds, and it gave me more 
than a half -hour of hard work. It measured four and 
one-half feet in length. My partner had just had a 
strike, and I started to pull in m}^ spoon hook. I had 
not brought it in far when something grabbed my hook 
and my reel began to sing. It had taken a couple of 
hundred feet or more of line before I could check it. 
Then way out in the water a great big dark body leaped 
up and almost turned a somersault. Alternately pulling 
it up and reeling in I worked and labored. Sometimes 
the cobia would get away for a moment and enjoy a 
little run without any compunctions of conscience for 
the extra labor imposed upon me. When within fifty 
or seventy-five feet of the boat it could be plainly seen 
swimming along near the surface and occasionally leap- 
ing above. Only once did it sound and make for the 
bottom. It made a beautiful play, and I was really glad 
when it was resting safely within the boat. Clinging to 
this fish when brought to surface were two remoras, the 
peculiar fish which attach themselves to shark and other 
fishes by the sucking plates upon their heads. They are 
thus towed about by the large fish, which is unable to 
protect or help itself. The remora is dreaded by all 
fish, and if one is turned loose in a pool with large fish, 



348 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

the others will swim around in terror for fear the remora 
will fasten itself upon them. 

Harpooning, or graining, as it is frequently called, is 
a sport pursued by many, and it sometimes furnishes 
thrilling excitement. In clear water it is indeed exhil- 
arating for the harpooner to see a large fish swim lazily 
within his range, as if daring him to take a fling at it. 
Many do and miss, for it requires skill to aim correctly 
and to judge of the resistance of the water, and also 
to make allowance for the movement of the game. It 
is not a difficult matter to handle a fish of ordinary size, 
when once safely on the prongs, but it requires both 
nerve and skill to manage a sea monster, even if it is 
hooked so securely that there is no danger of its getting 
loose. Such an experience is had when you are at one 
end of a line and a sawfish, shark or porpoise is at the 
other end, with several sharp prongs pricking him in 
some tender part of his anatomy. The same may be 
said of that curious sea monster called the ray, or devil- 
fish. It looks more like a great sea bat than aught else. 
Very few have the courage to tackle these creatures, for 
they grow to immense size. Imagine a great fish, 
shaped somewhat like a bat, with the wings ending in 
graceful points and the back a vivid black, and in size a 
square twelve by ten feet or possibly fourteen by six- 
teen. This gives a little idea of this devilfish. When 
playing it leaps out of the water, and its ton of flesh 
drops down on the surface almost like the sound of dis- 
tant thunder. It is exceedingly active, and is really a 
dangerous catch for a novice to endeavor to undertake. 
The devilfish is one of the survivors of a long-vanished 
world. In the old Mesozoic age. a myriad years ago, it 
was one of the highest forms of life on the globe. 

The sawfish is not at all uncommon, and it grows to 



Fish and Fishing 349 



a gigantic size. Half a ton of fish, with anger expressed 
in every movement, can make quite a commotion, and 
can also cause trouble for the mere human of one hun- 
dred and fifty pounds or thereabouts at the other end. 
"For two hundred yards," says Mr. Dimock, "we 
spurted along the channel, at the rate of speed that must 
have broken the racing records of his family. My hands 
were torn and blistered from clutching the line to get 
under good headway before the end of it was reached." 
A sawfish in good health will think nothing of towing 
an ordinary skiff with his arch enemy in it for several 
miles over a course of his own choosing. The sawfish 
of goodly proportion will furnish more excitement than 
the ordinary man will want in one day, unless he is m 
a boat large enough that it cannot be pulled about easily. 
One need not have any compunctions of conscience at 
killing a sawfish, and need not turn it loose again after 
capturing it, for the sawfish belongs to the shark tribe, 
and the shark is persona non grata to the fisherman. 

The dolphin, or porpoise, will furnish just about as 
exciting a chase, although it has no weapon so formid- 
able as the saw of the sawfish. But its tail is very ac- 
tive and is possessed of enough strength to capsize a 
small boat, if it should be struck in just the right way. 
Most people are satisfied, however, to see the dolphin 
playing about in the water, and furnishing amusement 
for the passenger on the ships. He sometimes swims 
along with his tail almost touching the prow of the boat, 
or swings along at even pace, as if showing the onlook- 
ers that the gait of the speediest boat is nothing for him. 
He seems possessed of a ceaseless activity, always being 
on the move, but the dolphin impresses one with the idea 
that he seems to get a great amount of fun out of mere 
existence. This dolphin is a mammal and must be dis- 



350 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

tinguished from the dolphin fish mentioned above. 
The aim of the majority of the followers of Izaak 
Walton, who fish in Florida waters, is to add a tarpon 
to their list of trophies. It seems to be the zenith of 
deep sea fishing. One is not enough for many sports- 
men, for I met the champion tarpon fisher who had 
landed twenty-five in a single day over in Charlotte Har- 
bor. At the tarpon resorts one will find anglers from 
all over the civilized world who come here to try con- 
clusions with this marvellous game fish, and many won- 
derful tales are related each season of individual ex- 
periences. Unless the fisherman is a mere game hog, 
or wishes to have his captive mounted, the tarpon is 
usually turned back into the water. It may be that each 
such incident in the tarpon's life makes him an even 
more spectacular catch, when he again finds himself on 
the angler's hook. It is a fact that some of the tarpons 
perform acrobatic performances that cannot be paralleled 
in the animal kingdom. It is difficult to believe that he 
is wholly an amateur. Stories are told of tarpon leap- 
ing entirely over a boat, and some of them include near 
tragedies. With its enormous mouth and great staring 
eyes, it is enough to scare one when seven or eight feet 
of fish is headed directly in his direction. Specimens 
have been caught that tipped the scales at four hundred 
pounds. Of the leaping qualities of the tarpon Mr. 
Dimock writes picturesquely as follows : " He leaps out 
of water at the prick of hook or harpoon, he leaps to 
catch the fish on which he feeds, and one unhooked tar- 
pon jumped into the skiff, knocked my guide overboard, 
laid him up for a month, and very nearly sent him into 
the next world. His jumps are vertically upward, at 
any angle, in any direction, or he may skim the surface 
of the water. He can hold himself straight as an arrow, 



Fish and Fishing 351 

bent into a circle or the letter S, or tie himself into a 
bow-knot, and I never saw the leap of a salmon that the 
commonest kind of a tarpon couldn't double discount in 
his sleep. The performance of a tarpon is so picturesque, 
so thrilling, that to see it sportsmen travel thousands 
of miles, sit for days in little skiffs, and then grind 
fifty-dollar coffee-mills on springless rods for hours at 
a time." 

When he once feels the sting of the impaling hook 
the tarpon fights with might and main. No trick and 
no artifice is overlooked in the supreme attempt to free 
himself from his fetters. The direction of his first dash 
is extremely uncertain. He is most likely to leap up 
straight in the air or at an angle. Then he will strike 
out with great speed. If he dashes away from you it 
will not be long until your line has all run out, but he 
may dash for your boat, either running under it or pos- 
sibly leaping entirely over it. In the uncertainty lies a 
part of the sport of the game. It is a spectacle well 
worth seeing when a great body, weighing as much as 
yourself, leaps up eight or ten feet in the air, and cov- 
ered with ten times a hundred scales which reflect the 
rays of the tropical sun like so many great diamonds. 
These scales are enormous, sometimes measuring more 
than three inches across. Charles Frederick Holder de- 
scribes the tarpon as follows : " Imagine a plain herring 
or sardine lengthened out six or seven feet. Imagine 
its scales newly minted silver dollars, frosted instead of 
stamped, silver dollars which have had the nacre of the 
whitest pearl in their composition, and some conception 
may be had of the glories of this radiant creature as 
the sun's rays flashed upon it, glancing and scintillating 
in every direction." 

The tarpon season in Florida runs from early spring 



352 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

until the middle of autumn — that is to say from March 
to November. Most Northerners are so imbued with 
the idea that the Florida summer is so extreme that it 
must be avoided under all circumstances, but that is not 
true. Fish found in Florida are all at their best in the 
summer, and the nights are always pleasant in that sea- 
son. The heat is probably no more troublesome in Au- 
gust than in April, even though the mosquitoes might 
be a little more bothersome. The tarpon is found both 
along the Gulf and the Atlantic coast, from the mouth 
of the St. John's to Homossassa, but the time of appear- 
ance on the two coasts varies a little. It seems to come 
from Mexican waters, following the coast line on the 
way, and travels in schools numbering from six to a 
hundred. The best months on either coast are un- 
doubtedly in June and July. Generally speaking, the 
tarpon are taken best by trolling when the tide is run- 
ning, and in still fishing at flood tide. And yet the tar- 
pon is a bit eccentric, so that no hard and fast rule can 
be laid down for the tarpon fisherman. Like woman, the 
tarpon is " mighty onsartain." When unwilling, no 
bait and no coaxing will tempt him, and when in the 
mood, he will bite at almost anything, but the favorite 
bait is mullet. Tarpon are caught with heavy rods, me- 
dium-weight rods and light fly rods. They are caught 
with the most ancient as well as latest models, likewise on 
a shark hook. 

Although still fishing has its devotees, there is more 
excitement in trolling. Seated in a motorboat in a re- 
volving chair, facing backwards, the anxious fisherman 
anxiously awaits a strike. He has nearly a hundred dol- 
lars' worth of tackle in his hands, including a rod built 
with all the care and accuracy of a watch. His spoon, 
or a hook, with a piece of fish fastened on, trails a 



Fish and Fishing 353 

hundred and fifty feet behind him. After an hour's 
trolling, without a tug at his hook, the angler is likely 
to become rather drowsy. He may catch sight of sev- 
eral tarpon around him, rising out of the water in the 
most exasperating way, revealing the head and tempting 
silvery sides. One may seem to notice your bait and 
apparently brush it away with a contemptuous flirt of 
his tail. Suddenly the angler is aroused from his leth- 
argy — he becomes aware that something has happened. 
Away goes his line, accompanied by a merry hum of the 
reel. Then there is a leap, as the tarpon tries to throw 
out the hook and bait, looking like some great shaking 
monster. It has been known to toss the baited hook 
yards away in this first convulsive movement to free it- 
self, and fall back into the water with a crash. It has 
been reported to cover a horizontal leap of thirty feet in 
its frenzy. 

If the hook catches in the tarpon's bony mouth, the 
real fight begins in earnest. Then there is a leaping, a 
twisting, a turning, and even a sulking of your victim. 
His sides glisten in the sunshine like polished silver. Oc- 
casionally one will not wait to be brought slowly into 
the boat, but will leap in of its own accord. Then, if 
you should happen to be in a small boat, and the tarpon 
is a large one, there is danger of capsizing. Throwing 
the tip of the rod forward, the angler reels in the few 
feet or inches of slack. It is not easy work, for some- 
times your quarry takes out all the line that you have 
thus laboriously wound up, and you have to begin all 
over again. By the time the fish is exhausted, you may 
be also, or you may give up before the fish and ask your 
boatman to finish the job. I met one man who had 
caught a one hundred and eighty pound tarpon, and he 
emphatically declared he never would fish for one again. 



354 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

The hour and a quarter necessary to get his fish under 
control had so unnerved him that he was wholly upset 
for several days, and his fingers were sore for a week. 
Many a man has emerged from the fight with a finger 
nail gone, and a knuckle or two bleeding where the han- 
dle of the reel had caught him in the final rush. The 
average person, however, is anxious for another tussle 
with this king of the finny tribe after he has recovered 
from the effect of the exertion, which may be only a few 
hours or a couple of days. 



CHAPTER XIX 

THE MARVELOUS BIRD LIFE 

The birds of Florida include scores of species and 
they are multitudinous in numbers. In most sections of 
the north there are probably not more than thirty or 
forty distinct species of birds to be found in any one sea- 
son. In Florida, in the spring, one can discover an in- 
numerable number of almost as many species in a singl© 
day's search. This might not be true of all sections of 
Florida, for in that state, as well as in others, certain 
localites are more favored by our feathered friends than 
others. Furthermore, in Southern Florida, in the re- 
gion of the Everglades, and also in the Indian River 
district, there are more water birds than in other parts of 
the peninsula. 

In an excursion made from Fort Myers to a bird 
rookery, a dozen miles distant, one day about the middle 
of March, we identified forty-seven species of birds. Of 
some we recognized only one specimen, but of others 
scores of individuals were seen. Among all the birds 
of the day we caught sight of only one robin and one 
bluejay. Several cardinals were either observed or heard 
whistling the familiar musical notes. The mocking- 
birds were quite numerous, and always singing if at 
rest, but frequently it was difficult to distinguish them 
from the loggerhead shrike, which seemed to be perched 
upon every telephone pole, or on the wires between two 
poles, sitting there as trim and silent as a sentinel. The 
woodpecker tribe were much in evidence among the pine 
355 



356 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

trees and the palmettoes. Among these were the flicker, 
the downy woodpecker, the pileated woodpecker, and the 
common red-head, which ought to be adopted as our 
national bird, because it displays our three colors of red, 
white and blue. A tree-top flirtation was going on be- 
tween a couple of flickers. This occupation is a favorite 
one with these birds, and they are never backward about 
displaying their tender feelings. Few happenings among 
birds are more interesting to watch. 

Of the numerous sparrow family we identified the 
savannah, the vesper, the grass, and the enumeration 
would not be complete without the mention of the com- 
mon English sparrow, which is as much of a nuisance 
here as in other parts of the United States. The black- 
birds were also quite common, and were sometimes seen 
in considerable flocks. Among these were the Florida 
blackbird, the Florida grackle, the boattail grackle, the 
fish crow, and the redwinged blackbird. There were 
many turtle doves and ground doves, and a few of the 
Florida larks were glimpsed. Herons of all descriptions 
were seen either flying or searching for food during this 
trip. Those which we positively recognized were the 
snowy heron, the gold-crowned night heron, the great 
blue and little blue heron, the little green heron, the 
Louisiana heron and the black-crowned night heron. 
Among the other land and water birds were the purple 
martin, towhee (here called joreet), crested flycatcher, 
bluebird, Florida wren, brown creeper, turkey buzzard, 
belted kingfisher, Florida rail, water turkey, white ibis, 
owl, coot and sparrow hawk. Of the game birds we saw 
the Florida quail, Wilson snipe, and three or four species 
of the wild duck. 

An osprey was seen flying high over us, and a shrill 
scream announced the presence of an eagle. Looking 



The Marvelous Bird Life 357 

up we saw a bald eagle encircling the osprey in wide 
loops. The birds passed out of sight before the end of 
the drama was disclosed. The bald eagle is generally 
known as a " robber," and nothing pleases him better 
than to deprive the osprey of a fish, which he has caught 
by honest labor. The eagle will sail around the osprey, 
each time going nearer and nearer, until the osprey drops 
his prospective dinner in its efforts to escape. Then it 
is that the eagle by one swift swoop will almost invariably 
catch the fish before it reaches the ground. I had al- 
ways associated the bald eagle with mountains, but here 
in Florida they are quite numerous. In some sections 
it is seldom that they are entirely absent. Frequently 
one will hear the familiar scream and, looking up, see 
one sailing far above in the blue ethereal of the sky. 
On this one day we saw three or four of them. In a 
pine tree, not more than forty feet high, but near the 
top, was the nest of an eagle, which was composed of 
three or four bushels of sticks of various sizes. As we 
approached it an eagle flew out of the nest with its 
piercing cry, shriller than usual because so near, and be- 
gan to circle upwards until it was almost lost in the 
blue of the skies. One of our party climbed up to see 
if there was anything in the nest, but found neither eggs 
nor young birds. It may have been a solitary bird that 
had lost its mate. 

A visit to a popular bird rookery down in the Ever- 
glades, the Big Cypress Swamp or the Ten Thousand 
Islands region is an experience not readily forgotten. 
As one approaches the retreat of the feathered creatures, 
a multitude of birds will arise and the whir of wings 
is distinctly audible. Thousands of nests occupied by 
squawking infants will be found, and the air resounds 
with the outcries of the frightened birds. At nightfall 



358 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

columns of birds may be observed wending their way 
towards the common rendezvous — some flying high and 
others keeping low. What at first appears like black 
specks on the horizon gradually develops into flocks of 
birds. On nearer approach the sky is sometimes visibly 
darkened by the multitude of flying creatures with their 
broad expanse of wing. The mingled cries of thousands 
of birds of many species fill the air when the columns 
arrive and the parent birds are greeted by their hungry 
ofi^spring. 

The snake bird, or water turkey, regurgitates in co- 
pious chunks the fish that it has swallowed temporarily, 
for convenience of transportation. Sometimes it almost 
strains the elastic necks of the babies to swallow them. 
It is rather an unpleasant method of transfer, but a 
hungry birdling is not very particular, so long as it has 
the comfortable feeling of a full crop. In the morning 
when the breadwinners depart in pairs, or by dozens 
and scores, the farewells are just as noisy, as the clamor- 
ous salutations of the evening before, only a little differ- 
ent in tone. Sometimes a bird returns with a broken 
leg and it must suffer intense pain many days before 
nature restores the member by her surgery; there is 
deeper sorrow when there is a failure to return. Some 
expectant babies must go hungry that night, and more 
days and nights, until kindly nature steps in and the piti- 
ful cries are silenced. 

The colonies are often greatly mixed. Herons, water 
turkeys, curlews and many other species commingle 
without clashing. The curlew is a sociable bird and gen- 
erally flies in large companies. The real name is the 
white ibis. It is another beautiful creature with a curved 
bill. The young are always black, which is in marked 
contrast to the pure white of the parents. The differ- 



The Marvelous Bird Life 359 

ence is not uncommon. The children of the Httle blue 
heron are white, and the progeny of the black water tur- 
key are cream colored and resemble little goslings, ex- 
cept for the elongated neck. Bitterns, or limpkin, are 
quite common. The fork-tailed kite and the extremely 
graceful man-of-war bird will be seen circling around, 
the latter at a great height. The kingbird and the belted 
kingfisher will remind the nothern visitor of home. 

According to the reports of the National Association 
of Audubon Societies, Bird Island, situated in Orange 
Lake, is one of the largest breeding places of the herons 
in the state. It covers about thirty-six acres, about a 
quarter of which in an ordinary season is dry and cov- 
ered with a dense growth of willow trees, bushes and low 
elder. The remainder of the island is wet, marshy land, 
overgrown with a heavy growth of rank grass and edged 
with lilies. Bird Island was purchased a few years ago 
by this society for the purpose of protecting the native 
birds, since it is much easier to protect the birds here 
than in the southern part of the state because it is so 
near one of the most thickly settled parts of the pen- 
insula. 

Most of us scarcely appreciate the numbers of birds 
that nest in these Florida rookeries, and it is interesting 
to note the reports of this society on the many thousands 
of birds that have been observed nesting here in a single 
season. The major part of the bird population of this 
island is the white ibis. They nest all over the island 
in the willow bushes wherever these bushes are strong 
enough to support a nest. The observers camped on the 
shores of the lake in the early part of May and estimated 
that there were then four thousand pairs of the white 
ibis nesting there. In practically all of the nests there 
were the usual three eggs, but no birds had as yet been 



360 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

hatched. The glossy ibis is much rarer than the white 
ibis, and but half a dozen nests of this bird were discov- 
ered there, and a few others on an adjoining island. One 
reason, probably, was that these birds do their homemak- 
ing a little later than the others, and this small number 
does not represent the entire population of the glossy 
ibis. 

Next to the white ibis the little blue heron abounded 
in the greatest numbers, and of these birds there were 
estimated to be at least twenty-five hundred pairs. These 
birds evidently assume household cares earlier than the 
ibis, for young birds in various stages of growth were 
found in practically every nest. A thousand more pairs 
were found in Saw Grass Island, separated only a short 
distance from Bird Island. Fully a thousand mated 
couples of the Louisiana heron were discovered nesting 
in the lower bushes around the edge of the island. Al- 
most two hundred pairs of the water turkey were breed- 
ing on the island, and as many more nests were found 
on the adjoining island. A dozen occupied nests of the 
American egret, already containing eggs, were discov- 
ered, and it was believed that at least sixty pairs of the 
American egret nested on this island. Practically an 
equal number of the snowy egret were encountered. In 
addition to these birds, the observers reported that of 
other birds nesting on Bird Island and in the immediate 
vicinity there were the following: ninety pairs of the 
little green heron ; twenty-five pairs each of the black- 
crowned night heron and the yellow-crowned night 
heron, and a few scattering nests of the least bittern, 
wood duck, purple and Florida gallimule, Florida red- 
winged blackbird, the boattailed grackle, the king rail, 
and the prairie warbler. Altogether it was conserva- 
tively estimated that at least ten thousand pairs of birds 



The Marvelous Bird Life 361 



had their nests on Bird Island and the adjoining islands 
called Saw Grass and Red Bird. Add to the adult popu- 
lation some twenty or thirty thousand young birds and 
it will be seen that there are times when the number of 
feathered inhabitants living on some forty or fifty acres 
of land and marsh is enough to populate a large city. 

Of the larger birds found in the United States none arc 
so attractive and so striking in their appearance as the 
members of the heron family. The herons vary greatly 
in size and color, but it is generally conceded that the 
great blue heron is the king of them all. Down in Flor- 
ida, where herons are most numerous, this heron is gen- 
erally known as the " major." It is too big to be easily 
hidden, and, as a rule, is too wary to be closely ap- 
proached. It is not a bird of which you would care to 
make a pet, such as the cardinal or the mocking-bird, but 
it is pleasant to look upon. The long legs, long wings 
and elongated bill are all useful to him, and they are a 
pleasant sight when outlined upon the horizon. When 
standing in a marsh, motionless as a statue, the blue 
heron becomes an inanimate part of the landscape and 
can readily escape notice. He has a dignity of pose that 
makes him look like a statue of frozen alertness, with 
his chin resting upon his breast as if in solemn medita- 
tion. Suddenly the great wings are spread, and, flap- 
ping solemnly, he moves on to some other point of obser- 
vation in the unceasing search for food. His cry is 
neither the quack of the duck nor the croak of the raven, 
but it may be said to range somewhere between the two. 
Wherever you see the great blue heron he is always 
looking as though he expected to be doing something di- 
rectly. Just when he will do it does not seem to mat- 
ter, except that he wants to be ready for operations when 
the moment arrives. His elongated legs and high water- 



362 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

proof boots enable him to wade in water quite deep, and 
a full yard of neck are a great advantage also when a 
fish or frog is seen under the water. With all his watch- 
ing and waiting, however, it is seldom that one sees the 
heron eating, and the natives say that it feeds mostly 
at night. It makes a most excellent dish, if killed in the 
full of the moon, so they say, according to a writer. It 
is not that the moon has any influence on the flesh, but 
that the great blue heron feeds best when he has the 
light of the moon to help him. Hence it is that if any- 
one wishes to dine on roast blue heron he must bear 
in mind this suggestion, which implies that this bird is 
thought to be best at the full of the moon, twelve times 
a year. Deliberation seems to be one of the characteris- 
tics of the blue heron. While patroling the shallow 
water along the oyster bar, at the rate of two or three 
steps a minute, as it seems, we would think that there 
was absolutely no hurry in his make-up. 

While the great blue is found in many parts of the 
United States, Ward's heron is seldom seen outside of 
Florida. It is fully as solemn and appears just as lone- 
some as its blue relation. When flying, the broad wings 
stretch out enough to form a shadow, while the neck 
is doubled back until the head lies between the shoul- 
ders. At the breeding time a long and drooping, as well 
as graceful, plume grows from the back of the head. 
The great blue heron has a couple of near relatives, which 
are known as the little blue and the Louisiana heron. 
The former is a dichromatic species, for some of the 
birds are white and others are blue. In some places the 
white specimens will predominate, and in others the blue 
are more numerous. At least it seems so to the observer. 
But it may be that in certain lights the one color shows 
brightest, and in other lights the other is most distinct. 



The Marvelous Bird Life 363 

Unlike the big blue, which is generally solitary, the little 
blue herons are frequently seen in flocks of from two to 
fifty. The young birds, always in white plumage, are 
most conspicuous objects. 

The Louisiana heron is about the same size as the 
little blue heron, but it has an air of daintiness and light- 
ness, which the other lacks. It is a beautiful bird, and 
one seldom finds a feathered creature so magnificent. 
Then there is the little green heron, which is more ap- 
proachable, and will be seen near the villages, and might 
almost be mistaken for a domestic bird. You might 
cross a bridge or a plank over a stream while the green 
heron wades in the water beneath you, and not more 
than a few feet away. It is the smallest of the true 
herons. From tip to tip of the wings the expanse of 
one of ordinary size is only two feet. When the neck 
is stretched to its full length the distance from the point 
of its bill to the end of its tail is seventeen inches. The 
bill is long and very sharp at the end. Although pre- 
ferring marshy land or the shores of streams, its haunts 
are by no means confined to such places. Wherever 
there are ponds or creeks in open country you are likely 
to find this bird. The little green heron is anything but 
rare, and it is almost as common in New England in 
the summer as it is in Florida in the winter. More peo- 
ple probably have a slight acquaintance with the green 
heron than any other member of the family. It is a 
" sweet little cherub of a bird," and does not like to be 
disturbed. You might see a dozen sitting motionless, 
with head and breast and neck telescoped down between 
the shoulders, and they will remain thus until you ap- 
proach quite close. In fact, you might pass near and 
not see them, for they seem to fit in with the landscape 
so well as to be practically invisible. In its habits it is 



364 Florida! The Land of Enchantment 

partly nocturnal, and it is not uncommon to hear its 
guttural note on still summery nights as it wings its way 
across the country from one feeding-placte to another. 
One of the enemies of this bird, as of the other herons, 
is the crow, which is very fond of the eggs. The fish 
crow, which is so common in Florida, is a wonderfully 
successful egg hunter. It slips through the trees in the 
rookery, while the parents are away seeking food, insert- 
ing its sharp bill into an egg and flies silently away. 

The rookeries of the herons are generally on small 
islands near the coast, or on hammocks in the midst of 
the swamps. On approaching one of the retreats there 
will be a crashing in the tree tops as the great wings 
flap against the broad and still leaves of the palm. The 
air will.be filled with their characteristic harsh croaks. 
In the nests, which are built several in a tree, one will 
find young birds in various stages of growth during the 
breeding season. One will see little chaps that hold 
their mouths up beseechingly as though expecting to be 
fed. The longer necks of the half -matured birds are 
stretched out from the nests of slender, crossed reeds and 
sticks, as if curious to see what is going on. It is an 
interesting and yet touching sight, so that one is soon 
ready to depart in order that mamma and papa heron 
can come back and reassure their babies that nothing has 
happened to them. 

Among the most beautiful of all the water birds are 
the herons, which furnish the popular millinery decora- 
tions known as the " aigrettes." These include the one 
which is generally known as the egret and a smaller 
bird called the snowy heron, or snowy egret. The 
former is a beautiful long-legged, long-necked bird, 
standing between three and four feet in height, while 
the snowy is of much shorter stature. From the back 





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The Marvelous Bird Life 365 

of the former are obtained the long-straight plumes, and 
from the latter are taken the short, curved ones. It is 
a sad fact that the plumes so highly prized by women 
for personal decoration are procurable only by inflicting 
unsufferable agonies on some of the most beautiful crea- 
tions to be found anywhere, for this is the nuptial plmne 
and is worn only at the nesting season. To procure them 
it is necessary to shoot the birds, which means that the 
young are left to die slowly of starvation. It is cus- 
tomary for the hunters to wait until the eggs are 
hatched, for then the parent birds respond to the cries 
of the young and are loth to leave the neighborhood. 
Thus they fall an easy prey to the man with a murder- 
ous gun. It is not true, as frequently asserted by those 
who seek to uphold the nefarious traffic, that the plumes 
are gathered from the ground underneath the rookeries. 
The plumes do not usually fall until the nesting season 
is over, and they usually drop in the water when the bird 
is flying. Furthermore, by that time they are usually 
so frayed and worn by the wind and contact with the 
foliage of the trees that they are of little value in the 
plume market. 

The egrets formerly bred all the way from Oregon 
and New York to Patagonia. In Florida they were more 
abundant than anywhere else, and most of the egrets 
remaining in the United States are still there. After 
the nesting season, when personal danger has disap- 
peared, they occasionally wander northward. Where 
they formerly were found in almost countless numbers, 
few are now seen — thanks to the egret hunters. In 
their protection several wardens have been killed, and a 
few of the hunters have paid with their lives. The 
egrets have no particular economic value, but the pure 
glossy whiteness of their plumage, and the gracefulness 



366 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

of their form and movements, are sufficient reason for 
preserving these inhabitants of our southern marshes. 
They feed principally in the rice fields and about the 
marshy borders of ponds, lakes and streams. To nest 
they usually retire to the more or less inaccessible swamps 
and build their nests upon the horizontal limbs of the 
cypress or willow trees. Then they live on fish, snakes 
and frogs and other aquatic life that is near at hand. 
From three to five bluish eggs are laid in the nest on a 
frail platform of sticks and twigs. The young are pretty 
little fuzzy creatures very much like the parents. 

About two decades ago, a naturalist, standing on the 
beach on the eastern coast of Florida, saw what seemed 
to be a gigantic sea serpent disporting itself along the 
crest of the waves. As this strange spectacle drew near 
it resolved itself into a long and undulating line of 
brown pelicans winging their way homeward to an island 
in the heart of the Indian River. Procuring a boat, the 
naturalist set foot upon this island, which was a signal 
for all the birds to depart. The presence of a man 
alarmed them, for they seemed to distrust him. Some 
fishermen explained that this island had been used from 
the time that the memory of man runneth not to the con- 
trary as a nesting-place. A hasty survey showed that 
the island had an area of about four acres, and he esti- 
mated that there was a pelican population of about tweny- 
seven hundred adult birds. 

Another visit, a couple of years later, showed that 
the colony had greatly decreased owing to the depreda- 
tion of hunters and yachtsmen, who killed the pelicans 
mostly for the sport of killing. The naturalist reported 
his investigations to the Audubon Society, and a move- 
ment was quickly initiated to preserve the inhabitants of 
Pelicanville. Through its efforts a bill was passed by 



The Marvelous Bird Life 367 

the Legislature of Florida in 190 1, making it a mis- 
demeanor to kill interesting or valuable non-game birds. 
Because pelicans eat fish, many claimed that they should 
not be protected, and others wanted their quills for the 
millinery trade. Fearing that the law might be repealed, 
an appeal was made to the federal government. A sur- 
vey proved that this island was unsurveyed government 
land. To settle the matter, since there was no law or 
precedent to govern, President Roosevelt issued a proc- 
lamation, on the 14th of March, 1903, which was in part 
as follows : " It is hereby ordered that Pelican Island, 
in Indian River, is reserved and set apart for the use of 
the Department of Agriculture as a preserve and breed- 
ing ground for native birds." It was not long after- 
wards until a measure was passed by Congress giving au- 
thority to the President to establish similar reservations 
of this character on government lands not adapted for 
agriculture. 

The legal difficulties being removed, the Audubon So- 
ciety promptly seized the opportunity to establish other 
bird reservations. Investigations were started to locate 
all the important breeding-places of the water birds. It 
was known that because of the activities of plumage 
hunters and eggers, several species were rapidly nearing 
extinction. On Cobb's Island, in Virginia, ten thousand 
terns had been shot in a single season, and as a result as 
many baby birds had been left to perish. Similar stories 
were related of other bird colonies. It is no wonder 
that friends of the water birds hailed with delight the 
action of President Roosevelt. In the same year four 
more bird refuges were established in different states. 
The second reservation to be created in Florida was the 
hundred-acre island of Passage Key, in the mouth of 
Tampa Bay. This had been a nesting-place for wild bird 



368 Florida; The Land of Enchantment 

life ever since the white man first knew the country. 
Thousands of herons of various species, as well as many- 
land birds, frequented it. Practically every island, mud 
flat and sand bar along the Gulf Coast was visited by 
trained ornithologists. 

In 1904 the Breton Island Reservation, along the coast 
of Louisiana, and embracing hundreds of square miles 
of territory, was established. In quick succession a half- 
dozen additional reservations were set apart along the 
west coast of Florida, thus extending a perpetual pro- 
tection over the colonies of water birds in that territory. 
In all, there are now ten national bird reservations in 
Florida. P'ractically all of these are rocky or sandy 
islands, which are nothing but marshes and half sub- 
merged land, none of which are of present or prospec- 
tive value for agriculture or anything else. Hence it is 
that the most captious faultfinder can hardly find a rea- 
son for objecting to the setting aside of these tracts as 
permanent reservations for the birds. The regret is that 
this action did not come sooner, before some of our birds 
were so near extinction. 



APPENDIX I 

HIGHWAYS AND MOTOR TRAVEL 

It will greatly surprise any one who has not visited 
Florida for a number of years to discover the amazing 
improvements that have been made in the condition of 
the roads. It used to be that there were few roads fit 
for automobile travel, and it was an exceedingly trouble- 
some matter to get an automobile down into the central 
part of the state. Furthermore, the roads through the 
southern states leading to Florida were of similarly bad 
character and did not invite travel. Today conditions 
have been revolutionized and motoring is no longer con- 
fined to a few sections of the state. The Dixie High- 
way, which takes the majority of the travelers to Florida 
over at least a part of its route, has been greatly im- 
proved. This great highway, with its several divisions, 
is almost four thousand miles in length. It reaches down 
in two diverging lines from Mackinac toward Florida, 
but the two routes meet at Chattanooga. It connects 
Chicago, Detroit, Toledo, Indianapolis, Dayton, Cincin- 
nati, Louisville, Nashville, and Atlanta with our southern 
peninsular state, and converging highways bring it in 
touch with all sections of our central, northern and west- 
ern states. The Dixie Highway enters Florida north 
of Tallahassee and passes through the capital on its way 
to Jacksonville. From there it follows the east coast 
down to Maine. In each town splendid garage accom- 
modations and competent mechanics will be found as a 
result of improved conditions. The number of auto- 
mobiles that one now sees in Florida each winter season 



370 Florida: The Land of Enchantment 

with the license tags of states ranging from Maine to 
Oregon, and some from Canada, reaches into the thou- 
sands. 

Florida has attacked the matter of improved roads in 
a practical way. Because of the long stretches of un- 
improved land it was impractical to depend upon local 
assessment for the improvements, as is done in more 
densely populated communities. To obviate this the 
various counties have assumed the duty of improving the 
highways, and county bonds, amounting to many mil- 
lions, have been issued by the various subdivisions. As 
a result, today there are hundreds of miles of splendid 
roads stretching out over the state, than which there are 
no better roads for automobile travel anywhere in the 
country. 

These highways have opened up many new and charm- 
ing regions of the state. For scores of miles the drives 
are shaded by forests of cool Georgia pines or by stately 
rows of the spreading palm trees. With the splendid 
winter climate of Florida, automobile travel in the state 
is done under ideal motoring conditions. There is a very 
fair road now all the way from Pensacola to Jackson- 
ville. There is a fine road, much of which is brick, from 
Jacksonville to a considerable distance below Miami. It 
is also possible to travel from the metropolis of the state 
all the way to Tampa upon good roads and to some dis- 
tance below Fort Myers, with only a short break of un- 
improved road in the latter section. Automobile roads 
are now in course of construction across the Everglades, 
which will not only make a pleasing diversion, but also 
provide a short southerly route between the east and west 
coasts. Throughout the central portion of the state there 
are fine roads either of brick, reinforced concrete or sand- 
asphalt, running in all directions, so that there are many 



Highways and Motor Travel 371 

beautiful drives awaiting the motor tourist way down in 
Florida. Here the vista is everywhere enhanced by the 
sight of charming little lakes. He can visit Orlando, 
Lakeland, De Land, Ocala, Kissimmee and all the other 
towns of this region with ease and comfort. The mo- 
torist of today will find much of interest in Florida, and 
he will not be disappointed in bringing his car with him. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 



Bartram, William: Travels through North and South Carolina, 

Georgia, East and West Florida, and the Cherokee Country. 

(Published in I79i-) 
Brown, George M. : Ponce de Leon Land and Florida War Record. 
Bush, G. G. : History of Education in Florida. 
Darby, William : Memoir of the Geography and Natural and 

Civil History of East Florida (1821). 
DaMocK, A. W. and Jxh-ian : Florida Enchantments. 
DiMOCK, A. W. : Book of the Tarpon. 
Fairbanks, George R. : History of Florida (1512-1842). 

History and Antiquities of the City of St. Augustine. 

French, B. F. : Historical Collections of Louisiana and Florida. 

Fuller, Herbert Bruce: The Purchase of Florida. 

Giddings, J. R. : The Exiles of Florida. 

Hakluyt, Richard: (Translation of records of early discoveries 

under several titles.) 
Hensiiall, James A. : Camping and Cruising in Florida. 
Holder, Charles Frederick.: Big Game Fishes of the United 

States. 

Big Game at Sea, 

Along the Florida Reef. 

Irving, Theodore: Conquest of Florida by De Soto. 

King, Grace: De Soto and His Men in the Land of Florida. 

Lanier, S. : Florida ; its scenery, climate and history. 

LowERY, Woodbury: Spanish Settlements with present limits of 

the United States. 
Mann, F. A. : Story of the Huguenots. 

The Story of Ponce de Leon. 

MuiR, John : A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf, 

Ober, F. a. : De Soto and the Invasion of Florida. 

Packard, Winthrop: Florida Trails as seen from Jacksonville to 

Key West. 
Parkman, Francis : Pioneers of France in the New World. 

The Huguenots in Florida. 

Preble, Geo. H.: Diary of a canoe expedition into Everglades and 

interior of Southern Florida (1842). 
373 



374 Bibliography 



Rhodes, Harrison, and Mary Wolfe Dumont : A guide to Florida. 

Smith, Buckingham: Cabeca de Vaca (a translation). 

Sprague, John T. : The Florida War. 

Stowe, Harriet Beecher: Palmetto Leaves. 

Swift, F. R. : Florida Fancies. 

ToRREY, Bradford: A Florida Sketch-book. 

TowNSEND, Captain : Wild Life in Florida. 

Williams, J. L. : The Territory of Florida. 

View of West Florida (1827). 

Willoughby, Hugh L. : Across the Everglades. 
WiLLSON, Minnie Moore: The Seminoles of Florida. 

A little book was issued in Philadelphia in 1699, which is quite inter- 
esting because of its curious title as well as in its contents. 
The title reads as follows : God's Protecting Providence Man's 
surest help and Defence, In the times of greatest difficulty and 
most Imminent danger, Evidenced in the Remarkable Deliver- 
ance of divers persons from the devouring Waves of the Sea, 
amongst which they suffered shipwrack, And also from the 
more cruelly devouring jawes of the inhumane Cannibals of 
Florida. Faithfully related by one of the Persons concerned 
therein. 



INDEX 



Abraham, Chief,_ii5. 

Adams, John Quincy, 97. 

Alachua, 92. 

Alligator, Chief, 108, III, 115. 

Alligators, 138, 201, 229, 289, 295, 

. 309-317- 

Amelia Island, 14, 91. 

Anastasia Island, 79, 180. 

Apalache, 27, 40. 

Apalachicola River, 81, 149, 154. 

Arcadia, 281. 

Arch Creek, 239. 

Area, 6. 

Armistead, General, 124. 



B 



Bahama Islands, 87. 

Banana River, 252. 

Bay of Cavallos, 29. 

Belleair, 14, 277. 

Big Cypress Swamp, 6, 126, 132, 

142,297,312,357- 
Birds, 10, 355 et seq. 

Blackbirds, 356. 

Bluebird, 126. 

Bobolink, 258. 

Cardinal, 156, 190, 209. 

Ducks, wild, 228, 253, 289. 

Eagle, 356. 

Egret, 360, 364-366. 

Fish crow, 212. 

Crackle, 213. 

Herons, 200, 228, 258, 293, 356, 
360-365. 

Ibis, 294, 359, 360. 

Kinglet, 156. 

Mocking bird, 225, 226, 286. 

Nuthatch, 232. 

Oriole, 156. 

Osprey, 356. 

Owl, 230. 

Robin, iss, 258. 



Scarlet Tanager, 156. 

Shrike, 286. 

Sparrows, 209. 

Turkey buzzard, 201. 

Warblers, 259. 

Water turkey, 200, 293, 358. 

Woodpeckers, 156, 356. 
Bird Island, 359. 
Bird reservations, 228, 367. 
Biscayne Bay, 239. 
Blue Springs, 8, 192. 
Boca Ceiga Bay, 277. 
Bocagrande, 285. 
Bowlegs, Billy, 97, 106, 121, 122, 

127, 130, 281. 
Boynton, 238. 
Bradentown, 278. 
Buena Vista, 239. 
Burnside Beach, 168. 
Butterflies, 257. 



Calderon, Pedro, 36. 
Call, General, 1 14. 
Caloosahatchee River, 4, 121, 281, 

283, 288-291, 307. 
Capafi, Chief, 42. 
Cape Corrientes, 21. 
Cape Sable, 302. 
Captiva Island, 285. 
Cattle, 205. 
Caxambas Island, 286. 
Cedar Keys, 268. 
Charleston, 85. 

Charlotte Harbor, 91, 121, 285. 
Chase, 333. 

Chattahoochee River, 81, 154. 
Chipola, 154. 

Choctowhatchee Bay, 153. 
Cigar industry, 273. 
Civil War, 99, 166, 174, 231, 303. 
Clinch, General Duncan L., 94, 

108. 



375 



376 



Index 



Coacoochee, iii, 115, 120, 123, 

124, 186. 
Coast, 14. 
Cocoa, 237. 
Cocoanut, 256, 319. 
Cocoanut Grove, 241. 
Cofachiqui, 44. 
Columbus, 18. 
Coquina rock, l8l. 
Cortez, Hernan, 24. 
Conch Key, 318. 
Cracker, The, 6. 
Crabs, 324, 325, 344. 
Creek Indians, 94, iii, 130, 132. 
Crocodile, 314. 
Cubans, 272, 327. 
Custard Apple, 256, 304. 
Cypresses, 197. 
Dade County, 303. 
Dade Massacre, 109-110. 
Daina, 239. 

Davis, Captain John, 72, 173. 
Daytona, 222-228, 231. 
De Anasco, Juan, 34, 41, 43. 
Deer, 202. 

De Funiak Springs, 153. 
De Gourges, Domenique, 6$-67, 

171. 
Deland, 8, 229. 
De Leon Spring, 8, 230. 
De Luna, Tristan, 49, 145. 
De Narvaez, Panfilo, 24-30, 35, 

144. 
De Soto, Hernando, 11, 31 et sea., 

145. 
De Vaca, Cabeca, 26, 32. 
Drake, Sir Francis, 70, 172. 
Duval, William P., 99, 102. 



East Florida, 12, 80-84, 95, 98, 1 13, 

131, 171- 

England, 12, 75, 85, 147-149, I74- 

Escambia Bay, 153. 

Eustis, 212. 

Everglades, The, 2, 6, 11, 124, 130, 

132, 142, 240, 288 et seq. 



Fish, 9, 195, 199, 207, 252, 327- 
328, :inetsrq. 



Fishing, 152, 215, 278, 284, 285, 

323-324 et seq. 
Fernandina, 52, 91. 
Flagler, H. M., 179, 221-223, 248, 

317. 
Flint River, 154, 
Florence Villa, 216. 
Florida, Purchase of, 96-98. 

Republic of, 90. 
Florida War, 101 et seq. 
Flowers, 2, 162, 193, 213, 247, 288. 
Fort Barrancas, 93, 95, 151. 
Fort Bassinger, 215. 
Fort Brooke, 109, 113, 115. 
Fort Carolina, 54 ei seq. 
Fort Clinch, 100. 
Fort Dade, 115, 120, 272. 
Fort Dallas, 239. 
Fort De Soto, 272. 
Fort Drane, 114. 
Fort Gadsden, 94. 
Fort George, 147. 
Fort Gibson, Treaty of, 108. 
Fort King, 104, 108, no, 113, 114, 

127. _ 
Fort Kissimmee, 216. 
Fort Lauderdale, 134, 238, 239, 

288, 308. 
Fort Marion, 99, 120, 179, 182-187. 
Fort Meade, 281. 
Fort Mellon, 115. 
Fort Mitchell, 93. 
Fort Moosa, 78, 91. 
Fort Moultrie, 102, 103. 
Fort Myers, 142, 216, 281-285, 

301,355- 
Fort Pickens, lOO, 151. 
Fort Pierce, 123, 237. 
Fort San Carlos, 146, 150. 
Fort San Luis, 157. 
Fort San Mateo, 66. 
Fort Shackleford, 301. 
Fort Taylor, 326. 
Fountain of Youth, 17 et seq, 
France, 12, 51, 146. 
Frosts, 169, 191. 



Gaines, General, 113. 
Game, 9, 285. 

Garcia, the negro leader, 94. 
Grant, Gen. James, 83. 
Grapefruit, 219-220. 



Index 



377 



Grassy Key, 322. 

Green Cove Spring, 8, 191. 

Guava, 256. 

Golf, 223, 244. 

Gulf Stream, 221, 251, 318. 



H 



Halifax River, 224, 227. 
Hammocks, 216. 
Hancock, General, 281. 
Harpooning, 348. 
Harney, Colonel, 12, 122. 
Harvey River, 298, 302. 
Hawkins, Sir John, 56, 169. 
Havana, 80. 
Hillsboro River, 272. 
Hirrihiguia, Chief, 35, 37. 
Hobe Sound, 224. 
Homestead, 223. 
Homosassa, 4, 268-269, 352. 

River, 269. 

Spring, 269. 
Houston, 163. 
Huguenots, 10, 51 et seq. 
Humphreys, Gad, 102, 104, 105. 



Indigo, 86, 233. 
Indians, 186. 
Indian Key, 321. 

Indian River, 123, 237, 251 et seq., 
366. 
Inlet, 252. 
Inland Waterway, 254-256. 
Insects, 194. 
Irrigation, 196. 



J 



Jackson, Andrew, 93, 95, 97, 98, 

150, 166. 
Jacksonville, 41, 152, 165, 166, 

167, 188, 255. 
Jesup, General, 103, 114, 116, 119. 
Jewiish, 321. 
Jones, Sam, Indian Chief, 108, 

112, 117, 127. 
Juan Ponce Bay, 21. 
Jumper, Chief, 108, 118. 



K 



Keys, The, 6, 315 et seq., 223, 

Key Largo, 14, 321. 

Key Vaca, 322. 

Key West, 223, 325, 326-329.. 

Kissimmee, 213-215, 307. 

River, 117, 123, 213, 216, 307. 
Knight's Key, 318, 322. 



La Belle, 288, 293. 

Lake Apopka, 4, 211, 208. 

Lake Bitter, 8. 

Lake Cyr, 154. 

Lake Dead, 154. 

Lake Eola, 210. 

Lake Eustis, 212. 

Lake George, 208. 

Lake Great Sawgrass, 196. 

Lake Griffin, 208, 211. , 

Lake Harris, 208, 211. 

Lake Hicpochee, 4, 294. 

Lake Istokpoga, 4, 118, 127. 

Lake Kissimmee, 215. 

Lake Lafayette, 159. 

Lake Lucerne, 210. 

Lake Monroe, 115, 196. 

Lake Okeechobee, 4, 117, 124, 136, 

213, 288, 294, 295, 308. 
Lake Ochese, 154. 
Lake Orange, 205. 
Lake Pithlachocco, 92. 
Lake Tohopekaliga, 4, 213. 
Lake Weir, 205. 
Lake Worth, 222, 238, 242, 
Lake County, 13, 2o6. 
Lake City, 163, 164. 
Lakeland, 216, 281. 
Landscape, 5. 
Lantana, 238. 
La Salle, 73. 
Laudonniere, Rene de, 52 ^/ seq., 

170. 
Lee County, 303^ 
Leesburg, 211. 
Lemon City, 239. 
Limes, 319, 321. 
Little Cloud, Indian Chief, ill. 
Little Neck Key, 318. 
Live Oak, 163. 
Live oaks, 156, 189, 224. 



378 



Index 



Long Key, 14, 318, 322-323, 326, 

.346. 
Louisiana Purchase, 95, 98. 
Lucie Inlet, 252. 



Mahogany, 319. 

Maldonado, Diego de, 43, 46, 144. 
Magnolia Springs, 191. 
Mangrove, The, 316-317. 
Manatee, The, 253. 
'Manatee, 279. 
^^ River, 278. 
Mandarin, 190. 
'Manhattan Beach, 168. 
Maps, 2. 
'Mariana, 154. 
iMarion County, 204, 209. 
Marathon, 322. 
'Marco, 286. 
Matanzas Inlet, 51. 
Matanzas River, 181. 
Mayport, 168. 

McGillivray, Alexander, 88-89. 
Mcintosh, James, 89, 90. 
Melbourne, 224. 
Menendez, Pedro, 57 et seq., 68-72, 

170. 
Merritt's Island, 237, 251. 
Metacumbe Key, 321. 
Miami, 223, 237, 239-241, 255, 

302, 346. 
River, 240, 300. 
Micanopy, Chief, 102, 108. 
Mickasukee, Indians, 95, 116, 130. 
Missions, 69-72. 
Mississippi River, Discovery of, 

46-47. 
Mobile, 12, 76, 45, 50. 
Monroe County, 303. 
Moore, Governor, expedition of, 

74, 173- 
Moore Haven, 288, 294. 
Mosquito Inlet, 79, 83, 226, 231. 
^ Murat, Prince, 159. 



N 
Names, 3. 
Naples, 286. 

Negroes, 158, 161, 165, 267, 277. 
New River, 298, 308. 
New Smyrna, 4, 231-236. 
Nichols, Colonel, 94. 



Oakland, 211. 

Ocala, 9, 38, 104, 204. 

Ocali, 38. 

Ocklawaha River, 4, 107, 124, 188 

et seq., 212. 
Oglethorpe, Governor, 78-81, 173. 
Okahumpa, 4. 

Okeefinokee Swamp, 122, 164. 
Oranges, 192, 217-220, 256. 
Orange County, 13, 206, 209. 
Orange Lake, 359. 
Orlando, 13, 209-211. 
Ormond, 223, 226, 227, 229. 
Ortiz, Juan, 36. 
Osceola, Chief, 108, 109, 1 12, 116, 

119, 186. 
Osceola County, 213. 
Otters, 138. 
Oysters, 228, 284. 



Pacheo, Louis, no. 

Palatka, 192, 203, 222. 

Palms, 282. 

Palm Beach, 14, 223, 237, 242- 

249, 346. 
Palmetto, 278. 

Palmettoes, The, 163, 198, 290-293. 
Panuco, 48. 
Pass Navarro, 92. 
Passage Key, 367. 
Payne, Chief, 92. 
Paynes Landing, Treaty of, 107. 
Paw-paw, 257, 304. 
Peace River, 281. 
Pearls, 44. 
Pease Creek, 126. 
Pelicans, 10, 259-262, 275-277, 366. 
Pelican Island, 259-262, 366. 
Pensacola, 4, 12, 76-78, 82, 84, 87, 

93,98, 100,144-153. 
Pensacola Bay, -29, 43, 151, 144- 

153, 268. 
Perdido River, 29, 89, 96, 149. 
Philip, King, III. 
Phosphate, 205, 217. 
Pineapples, 237, 256. 
Pinellas Peninsula, 274. 
Pines, 161, 163, 189, 193, 262-267. 
Plantations, 321. 
Polk County, 13, 209, 216. 
Ponce de Leon, 8, 9, 17 et seq. 



Index 



379 



Population, 6. 
Port Orange, 232. 
Port Tampa, 273. 
Punta Gorda, 281. 
Punta Rossa, 1 26. 
Prophet, The, 122, 126. 



Razorback hogs, 165, 292. 
Ribaut, Jean, 51 et seq. 
River Junction, 154. 
River of May, 53, 168. 
Roads, 15. 
Romance, 2. 
Rosin, 262. 



s 



St. Augustine, 8, 11, 20, 59-64, 67, 
70, 72, 76, 82, 84, 98, 100, 
120, 14s, 169 et seq., 236. 

St. John's Bluff, S3. 

St. John's River, 8, 29, 53, 83, 
165, 188 etseq., 'ill. 

St. Lucie River, 253. 

St. Petersburg, 4, 14, 274-275. 

San Carlos Bay, 285. 

Sanford, 194, 196. 

San Mateo, 222. 

San Pablo Beach, 168. 

Santa Fe, 1 70. 

Santa Maria, 145. 

Santa Rosa Island, 14, 29, 146, 
149, 151. 

Sanibel Island, 285. 

Sarasota, 280. 

Saw Grass Island, 360. 

Seebreeze, 224. 

Scott, General Winfield, 113. 

Seloy, 53, 170. 

Seminoles, The, 12, 129^/ seq., 299, 
302. 

Seminole War, loi et seq., 179, 216, 
322. 

Shark's River, 298, 301. 

Shells, 319. 

Shell mounds, 228, 231. 

Silver River, 204. 

Silver Springs, 9, 203, 204. 

Slavery, 86. 

Snails, 304. 

Snakes, 304-305. 

Soil, s- 



Spain, 12. 

Spain, Treaty with, 97. 

Sponging, 268, 270, 329-333, 270. 

Springs, 7. 

Stowe, Harriet Beecher, 190. 

Sugar Loaf Sound, 333. 

Sulphur Springs, 272. 

Suwanee River, 31, 95, 164. 



Tallahassee, 4, 99, 106, 154-161. 

Tagesatee, Battle of, 56. 

Tampa, 8, 271-274. 
Bay, 34, 270, 367. 

Tarpon, 323, 328, 350-354. 

Tarpon Springs, 8, 270, 329. 

Ta vernier, 321. 

Taylor, General Zachariah; 
117, 118, 121. 

Ten Thousand Islands, 14 
357- 

Terre Ceia, 280. 

Thompson, General Wiley, 108, 
109. 

Thonotosassa, 4. 

Tigertail, Chief, 128. 

Titi Swamp, 147. 

Titusville, 237. 

Tomoka River, 229. 

Tortugas Islands, 21, 325. 

Tourists, 177. 

Turnbull, Andrew, and his syn- 
dicate, 83, 233-237. 

Turpentine, 263. 

Turtles, 202, 284, 304, 329. 

Turtle Mound, 231. 



116, 

303, 



u 

United States, 150. 
Urribaricaxi, Chief, 37. 
Useppa Island, 285. 



Vitachuco, 38. 



W 



Wahoo Swamp, 115. 
Wakulla Springs, 7, 162. 
Water Hyacinth, 198, 199, 216. 



380 



Index 



Wauchula, 4. 

Weather, i, 15. 

Welaka, 195. 

West Florida, 12, 80-84, 87, 5 

131, 147,149- 
West Palm Beach, 242-244, 288. 
White Springs, 164. 
Winter Garden, 211. 
Winter Haven, 216. 
Winter Park, 211. 



Withlacoochee River, 26, 114, 136. 
Worth, General Wm. J., 123, 124, 
127. 



Yachting, 254. 
Yamato, 238. 
Ybor City, 272. 
Yemassees, The, 77. 



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